Joshua Cottrell pleaded guilty to two murder counts and evidence tampering after the deaths of Kayla Blake and Kennedi McWhorter.

MOREHEAD, Ky. — Life in prison without parole was the sentence for a Kentucky man after admitting he killed a Morehead mother and her 13-year-old daughter inside their home last September.

Joshua Cottrell, 44, pleaded guilty April 28 to two counts of murder in the deaths of Kayla Danielle Blake, 37, and Kennedi Grace McWhorter, 13. He also pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence. The plea ended a case that began with a missed work shift, a welfare check and the discovery of two bodies in a South Spring Street home. Court records show Cottrell received life without the possibility of parole on the murder counts, plus a five-year sentence on the tampering count.

The case moved quickly from discovery to arrest on Sept. 19, 2025. A co-worker went to Blake’s home after she did not report to work, and authorities were called for a welfare check. Deputies arrived at the home and found Blake and Kennedi dead. The Rowan County Coroner’s Office said at the time that first responders found two people who were clearly deceased. A friend of Blake later said Cottrell should be thankful the family did not have to see all the evidence at trial, adding that he was “begging for his life just like they were.”

Investigators said Blake and Kennedi were killed in separate areas of the home. Court records described Blake as having been stabbed in the head in a bedroom and said she also suffered blunt force trauma. Kennedi was found across the hall with a cut to her throat. Authorities said Cottrell moved the bodies, a claim tied to the tampering charge. Investigators spoke with neighbors and learned Cottrell had been at the home the day before the bodies were found. Police have not publicly named a motive for the killings, and the plea left many details of the attack outside a full trial record.

Cottrell was not found in Morehead after the bodies were discovered. Kentucky State Police later located him at a hospital in the Paducah area, more than 300 miles west of Rowan County. Authorities said he had blood on his clothing when he was found. He was arrested after he received treatment and was charged with two counts of murder and tampering with physical evidence. Local reports said Cottrell and Blake had been in a relationship and had lived together. Friends said Blake had spoken of the relationship before the killings, but investigators have not said what they believe caused the attack.

Blake worked as a nurse caring for people in addiction treatment, according to colleagues who spoke publicly after her death. They described her as dependable, warm and willing to help outside normal work hours. Kennedi was remembered as a student, church member and softball player who loved competition and the friendships that came with the sport. The deaths drew grief in Morehead and across Rowan County, where the case began as a welfare check and became a double murder investigation before noon that Friday.

The guilty plea spared the family from a trial that could have included photos, forensic evidence and testimony about the scene inside the home. Cottrell had first pleaded not guilty before changing his plea in Rowan County Circuit Court. The sentencing left no parole path on the murder counts. The five-year sentence for tampering with physical evidence was ordered with the life sentence, meaning it did not create a separate release date. The conviction also formally closed the murder case unless later appeals or post-conviction motions are filed.

Cottrell’s record drew added attention because he had a prior conviction in a separate killing. Court accounts from that earlier case said he was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in the death of Richie Phillips, 36, after a 2003 case tied to Hardin County. He also was convicted of theft and evidence tampering in that case and received a 20-year sentence. Reports on the case said Phillips’ body was found in Rough River Lake after being placed in a suitcase. Cottrell had claimed self-defense during that earlier proceeding.

For relatives and friends, the plea produced punishment but not a full explanation. The public record now shows who was convicted, what charges were admitted and where the case ended. It does not show a stated motive. Blake and Kennedi were found Sept. 19, 2025, after Blake missed work. Cottrell was sentenced April 28, 2026, to life without parole. The case now stands as a closed criminal judgment in Rowan County, with the next steps limited to prison processing and any later court filings.

Author note: Last updated May 22, 2026.