LMPD :: Louisville Metro Police Department
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Former Cadet accused of smuggling contraband

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A former Metro Corrections guard and former cadet almost went from the police academy straight to jail.

Prosecutors say LaRon Stoner smuggled a cell phone inside Metro Corrections to a suspect in a double murder case.

That might explain why his name was conspicuously absent from the Metro Police Department's list of recruits.

Stoner was supposed to graduate with his fellow cadets on Wednesday, but was terminated two weeks ago by interim police chief Ish Burks.

"It was a scary situation. I'm like well why would somebody give him a cell phone and he's up in there on a double murder?" says Steve Wood Sr., husband and father of murder victims.

Kilgore is one of five defendants accused of murdering Steve Wood's wife and son in November of 2009, following a playground fight involving two teenagers.

"They shot him and then stepped in the house and shot my wife."

WDRB News has uncovered court documents that indicate a jailhouse informant told police Kilgore said he was "going to get a cell phone into the jail." The informant says Kilgore also told him he had a brother named Stoner...a corrections officer.

Court records show the informant told police he "witnessed multiple occasions where Kilgore and Stoner would have private conversations when Stoner would take Kilgore out of his dormitory at metro corrections."

"They're showing no remorse at all about the situation." This is a pretty big blow to Steve Wood who is looking forward to the trial...and there's even more.

The informant says Stoner not only provided the cell phone to Kilgore, but was going to provide addresses and information on witnesses in the case. The tipster even says he overheard Kilgore telling a cell-mate where to retrieve money, a gun and drugs in order to take care of witnesses. That's when the informant told officials about the phone.

According to Metro Police, the Commonwealth Attorney's Office has decided against pursuing criminal charges in the case.