The Kentucky Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and life sentence of Jonathan Puckett on Dec. 18, 2025, in a case stemming from a 2014 murder in Washington County. The high court's decision upholds the original ruling by the Washington Circuit Court, which convicted Puckett of intentional murder, second-degree arson, tampering with physical evidence, and being a first-degree persistent felony offender.
The case originated from events that occurred on July 31, 2014, involving Puckett and Thomas Ray Pendygraft, both employees at Wilbert Plastics in Lebanon, Kentucky. According to court records, the two men worked the second shift at the facility, and Pendygraft occasionally provided transportation for Puckett, who did not have a vehicle.
On the night in question, Pendygraft was working his regular shift from 3:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., while Puckett was not scheduled to work. Puckett asked his friend Joseph Chaudoin to drive him to the Wilbert Plastics facility to pick up his paycheck. Court documents reveal that while Pendygraft was working inside the building, Puckett broke into his coworker's vehicle and stole Lortab pills.
The stolen prescription medication became central to the subsequent events, as Puckett sold some of the pills and distributed others. The theft of the Lortab pills from Pendygraft's vehicle while he was at work appears to have been a catalyst for the violent crimes that followed.
A Washington County jury ultimately convicted Puckett on multiple serious charges. The intentional murder charge represents the most severe count, indicating that prosecutors successfully argued Puckett deliberately killed Pendygraft. The second-degree arson charge suggests that fire was used either to commit the murder or to destroy evidence afterward.
The tampering with physical evidence conviction indicates that Puckett attempted to alter, destroy, or conceal evidence related to the crimes. This charge often accompanies murder cases where defendants try to cover their tracks or eliminate proof of their involvement.
The persistent felony offender enhancement proved particularly significant in Puckett's sentencing. Under Kentucky law, defendants who have previous felony convictions face enhanced penalties for subsequent crimes. The first-degree PFO designation indicates that Puckett had multiple prior felony convictions, which allowed the court to impose a more severe sentence than would otherwise be available.
Following the jury's guilty verdicts, Washington Circuit Court Judge Samuel Todd Spalding sentenced Puckett to life in prison. This sentence reflects the gravity of the charges and the impact of the persistent felony offender enhancement on the penalty calculation.
Puckett exercised his constitutional right to appeal the conviction and sentence to Kentucky's highest court. Under Section 110(2)(b) of the Kentucky Constitution, defendants convicted of capital offenses or sentenced to life imprisonment have an automatic right of appeal to the state Supreme Court, bypassing intermediate appellate courts.
The Supreme Court's review examined whether the trial court properly conducted the proceedings and whether sufficient evidence supported the jury's verdicts. After conducting this review, the justices concluded that the lower court's handling of the case was appropriate and that the evidence adequately supported Puckett's convictions.
The court's decision to affirm means that Puckett's life sentence will stand, and he will remain incarcerated for the remainder of his natural life unless future legal proceedings alter this outcome. The affirmation also validates the jury's findings regarding each of the charges against Puckett.
This case represents another example of Kentucky's criminal justice system holding defendants accountable for violent crimes, particularly those with extensive criminal histories. The persistent felony offender statute serves as a deterrent and ensures that repeat offenders face appropriate consequences for continued criminal behavior.
The Supreme Court designated this opinion as "not to be published," meaning it cannot be cited as binding precedent in future cases. However, under Kentucky appellate rules, unpublished decisions rendered after Jan. 1, 2003, may be cited for consideration when no published opinion adequately addresses the legal issues at hand.
The workplace connection between Puckett and Pendygraft adds a troubling dimension to the case, as it involved the betrayal of a coworker who had previously helped Puckett with transportation. The fact that Puckett used this relationship to access and steal from Pendygraft's vehicle while he was working demonstrates a calculated exploitation of trust.
With the Supreme Court's affirmation, Puckett has exhausted his direct appeal rights under state law. Any future challenges to his conviction would need to proceed through different legal channels, such as post-conviction relief proceedings or federal habeas corpus petitions, though such efforts face significant procedural and substantive hurdles.