Kentucky Murder Trial Set Seven Years After Woman’s Body Found Wrapped On Roadside

Clear Facts

• Ryan Todd Crawley faces murder and kidnapping charges in connection with April Arnett’s 2019 death, with trial scheduled for May 2026
• Crawley previously pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse but maintains innocence on murder and kidnapping charges
• Arnett’s body was found wrapped in a tarp with cinder blocks attached on Old Lexington Road in Madison County, four days after her alleged death

A Kentucky man will stand trial next May in connection with the 2019 death of a woman whose wrapped body was discovered on a Madison County roadside seven years ago.

Ryan Todd Crawley has his trial date scheduled for May 17-28, 2026, in Scott County Circuit Court. He faces charges of murder, kidnapping, and evidence tampering in the death of April Arnett, a mother of three.

Crawley has pleaded not guilty to the murder and kidnapping charges, though he previously pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse. His defense attorneys have raised concerns about the nearly seven-year delay between Arnett’s death and the filing of the more serious charges.

Kentucky State Police were called to Old Lexington Road in Madison County on August 17, 2019, at approximately 9 p.m. after a body was discovered. The victim was later identified as Arnett.

According to court documents, the discovery came four days after Arnett’s alleged death in Scott County. Prosecutors allege Crawley wrapped Arnett’s body and stored it under his trailer before disposing of it.

Four additional individuals were charged with assisting in Arnett’s kidnapping, including the defendant’s cousin, Ronald Crawley. Authorities say the two men drove into Madison County carrying Arnett’s body wrapped in a tarp with cinder blocks attached.

According to police, the pair attempted to throw the body into the water from the Old Clays Ferry Bridge, but it became caught on a guy wire. They then placed Arnett’s body back in the vehicle and dumped it on the roadside where it was eventually found.

Ronald Crawley was arrested in Oregon in 2019 after allegedly fleeing Kentucky following the incident.

April Arnett’s obituary remembered her as a woman with a big heart and an infectious smile. She left behind three children.

The defense has emphasized that the murder and kidnapping charges were not filed until nearly seven years after the 2019 incident, arguing this timeline raises significant questions about the prosecution’s case. The evidence tampering and abuse of corpse charges, to which Crawley pleaded guilty, remain on his record as the more serious charges proceed to trial.

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