Custody battle may be at root of Bardstown murder-suicide

A custody battle is the apparent reason for a murder-suicide involving a 21-month-old, according to officials and family.

Timothy L. Frazier, 28, and his 21-month-old son, Cole Lance Frazier, were found dead by Nelson County Sheriff’s deputies Tuesday at 110 Tree Top Drive.

Frazier was scheduled to appear Wednesday in Nelson District Court. An emergency protective order he filed on his son’s mother was due to expire that day. Since the EPO was ordered May 13, the toddler had been in the custody of his father. The hearing set for Wednesday could have changed that ruling. The couple were not married.

The bodies were taken to the medical examiner’s office in Louisville and autopsies were performed Wednesday. Both died from a single bullet wound to the head, Nelson County Coroner Field Houghlin said.

“You don’t go (on a call) and expect to find a 21-month-old child shot in the head. It’s sad and tragic enough; there is no training you can take or do to deal with that.”

“There was a note, but it wasn’t any indication as to why (this happened),” Houghlin said.

John Frazier, Timothy Frazier’s father and the baby’s grandfather, said the custody battle may have created the situation.

“I don’t believe in what he done, but I believe he just snapped under the circumstances,” he said.

Nelson Circuit Court records show that Candice Dempsey, the child’s mother, was to appear in Nelson County District Court 9 a.m. Wednesday to respond to allegations in the emergency protective order filed by Timothy Frazier on behalf of his son.

In the petition, Frazier claimed Dempsey had threatened to “wreck all three of us while son in car” and to “kill me when I go to sleep.” He also said that Dempsey was “on illegal pain pills” and that he was afraid for his son’s safety. The protective order was filed after Dempsey made a domestic violence report May 13 to the Bardstown Police Department. In her statement, Dempsey said the couple were arguing over an upcoming child custody court date. The couple had previous violent interaction, court records indicate. Dempsey had filed a domestic violence petition against Frazier in April 2008 after he threatened to cut her throat during an argument, according to her statement on the petition. She stated that she wanted custody of her son because of concern for the life of her son as well as her own and accused Frazier of being an alcoholic and on drugs. The court found that it was not established that an act of domestic violence or abuse occurred or that it may occur again, and the petition was dismissed.

Frazier had been arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs twice in 2009. He was quoted as saying, “I had a few beers because I’m having a rough time. You got me, I’m drunk,” in the DUI arrest report for the first incident.

He had been arrested previously for alcohol intoxication in 2004, 2005 and 2007 and had a history of becoming combative with officers, court records show.

Frazier owned a lawn care business, Frazier Lawn and Landscaping and Frazier Properties.

“He was a hard worker,” John Frazier said. “I know you’ve heard he’s a bad guy. I don’t know what to say. We love him no matter what and he really loved his kid.

“We loved our grandson and son and we still love them even though it’s a bad situation.”

The funeral for Cole Frazier is at 11 a.m. Saturday at Ritchie & Peach Funeral Home in Lawrensburg with burial at Lawrenceburg Cemetery. Timothy Frazier’s funeral will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Bardstown Baptist Church with burial in First Cedar Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.