Christian County Detention Center
- Police in Kentucky arrested a pilot at an airport in Louisville after he was indicted over a triple-homicide.
- The indictment says Christian Richard Martin, a pilot for American Airlines-owned PSA Airlines, will be charged with murdering a couple and their neighbor in Pembroke in November 2015.
- The husband was found dead at the house, while his wife and neighbor were found in a burnt-out car in a corn field several miles away.
- Passengers waiting to board American Airlines Flight 5523 at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali airport told local media they thought police dragged Martin away because he was drunk.
- Kentucky’s attorney general Andy Bashear announced the news Martin had been detained in a press conference on Saturday.
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A pilot for an American Airlines subsidiary was arrested at a Kentucky airport on Saturday, after being indicted over the murders of three people.
Christian Richard Martin, a pilot for PSA Airlines, which is owned by American, was indicted Friday over the deaths of Calvin Phillips, 59, his wife, Pamela, 58, and neighbor Edward Danserau, 63, on Friday.
The killings took place on November 18, 2015 in Pembroke, Kentucky. Calvin Phillips was found shot dead in the cellar of his home, while police found Pamela Phillips and Danserau in a burned-out car belonging to Danserau in a nearby corn field.
Martin lived close to the three victims at the time of their deaths.
WDRB
Martin was arrested at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. He was about to fly a plane full of passengers to Charlotte, North Carolina, local news outlet WDRB reported.
Frances Wise, who was waiting to board the flight, heard that her pilot had been arrested. She told WDRB that she thought it was because the pilot was drunk.
"It was very tense," she said. "You could tell the employees knew something was going on."
Martin — a Bombardier CRJ First Officer — has also been charged with arson, attempted arson, burglary, and three counts of tampering evidence.
Kentucky’s attorney general Andy Bashear announced the news on Saturday in a televised press conference.
Beshear said: "There are many steps from here, but we hope this is one example of when you never stop seeking justice, when you never give up, that we can truly get important results for these families."
PSA Airlines is based out of Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio.
American Airlines told Business Insider in a statement: "All of us at American Airlines and PSA Airlines are deeply saddened to have learned about these allegations from 2015.
"Our team was made aware of the indictment this morning after his arrest at Louisville International Airport."
"We have an unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our customers and team members, and we will provide any investigative assistance possible to law enforcement throughout their investigation."
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Bill Bostock)