Two Magnolia men charged in 'funeral burglaries'

 Kentucky State Police announced the arrest of three men in connection with two homes recently burglarized while families attended funerals.

James Gregory Parrett

Timothy Terry

Michael S. Acord

Michael S. Acord, 40, of Magnolia, was arrested Tuesday for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Timothy Terry, 40, of Vine Grove, was charged Tuesday with receiving stolen property over $500 and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

James Gregory Parrett, 42, of Magnolia, was charged Thursday with receiving stolen property over $500 and possession of methamphetamine, second offense.

Police suspect Acord pawned a power tool stolen from the home of Dennis and Cindy Higdon. The tool was tracked by a serial number. He was in possession of goods worth less than $500 and was not charged as the other men, Master Trooper Norman Chaffins said at a press conference.

Parrett and Terry were in possession of property stolen from the homes of the Higdons and Normaline Skees.

Burglary charges against all three men are pending.

Stolen items were pawned at businesses including Dixie Pawn and Gun in Elizabethtown and Kwik-Kash Pawn in Radcliff and Glasgow Pawn and Gun in Glasgow.

Police received several tips from the community, but most did not pan out, Chaffins said.

Police are not releasing any information on motivation but noted drugs are believed to be a factor in the case.

Almost all the items stolen from the Higdon home have been recovered, the exceptions being a laptop computer and some other small items.

Several of Skees' items have been found, including guns, her late husband's billfold and a pearl necklace that had belonged to her mother, Skees said.

Police are investigating possible accomplices and possible links to two or three other burglaries.

Any links between the suspects and families are unknown at this time, police said.

The Higdons, whose son Christian was struck to death June 16 with a hatchet, found their home looted sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. June 20 while they attended their son's funeral. Items taken included four firearms, multiple electronic devices, jewelry and hundreds of dollars in change.

In March, Skees of Sonora found her home burglarized of thousands of dollars worth of personal belongings upon returning from the funeral of her husband, Richard "Lanny" Skees, who died of leukemia.

Acord is lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center without bond. Parrett is lodged in Hardin County Detention Center in leiu of 10 percent of a $10,000 bond. Terry was lodged in the Meade County jail and released after posting 10 percent of a $5,000 bond.