Clark sentenced to 25 years for murder
Prison Cell
By Eugenia Jones
McCreary County’s Circuit Court Judge Paul K. Winchester sentenced Preston Timothy Clark to twenty-five years in prison for the charge of murder in connection with the 2019 shooting death of Larissa Cox. Winchester also ordered Clark to pay restitution upon release from prison and to have no contact or communication with anyone related to the case.
During his sentencing hearing, Clark read a statement expressing regret over the shooting. In his statement, Clark thanked the Judge for allowing him to speak and express his sorrow. Clark noted that a decision he made in a tenth of a second changed the lives of two families-both the families of Cox and his own. Clark stated he prays to God to be able to go back and change what he did but that it isn’t possible. Clark said he hopes someday Cox’s family will find it in their hearts to forgive him.
Clark was charged with the fatal shooting of Cox, 48, which occurred on June 26, 2019. Clark was twenty year old when the shooting occurred. In conducting the investigation, Kentucky State Police said a verbal altercation had taken place prior to the shooting at Clark’s residence on Old State Garage Road, but the altercation did not become physical. Cox was living in the residence along with her two daughters and Clark, who was dating her eldest daughter. The entire family had just returned from a vacation on the day of the incident.
Clark himself called 911 and eventually told the dispatcher he had shot Cox. Deputy Alex Jones was the first officer to arrive in the area and saw Clark walking on the road holding the shotgun. Clark was talking to 911 at the time. He was told to drop the weapon and taken into custody without further incident. There was no suspicion of drugs or alcohol being involved in the incident.
Hundreds of friends and family later gathered to mourn the loss of Cox who was the mother of three and a former Miss McCrearyFest.
Prior to the sentencing hearing, the Commonwealth recommended a sentence of twenty-five years in return for Clark’s guilty plea.
