Perry County Grand Jury Indicts Three in Ryan Huff Shooting

Brian Smith was indicted on a charge of murder by a Perry County grand jury, one of three people now formally charged in connection with the shooting death of Ryan Huff near the Bubby Combs Apartments on Darkfork Road in Hazard.

The indictments, filed in Perry Circuit Court on March 27, also name Danny Harold Asher on one count of complicity to second-degree manslaughter and Maranda "Kat" Conner on six counts: complicity to second-degree manslaughter, firearm possession by a convicted felon, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree escape, and being a persistent felony offender.

To secure a murder conviction against Smith, prosecutors must prove he intentionally caused Huff's death. The indictment further alleges Smith took steps to dispose of evidence after the shooting, which underlies the accompanying tampering charge. Proving tampering requires showing a defendant destroyed, concealed, or altered material he knew would be relevant to an official proceeding.

For Asher, the complicity count requires the Commonwealth to establish he wantonly aided Smith in planning or carrying out the assault. Second-degree manslaughter in Kentucky is a wanton rather than intentional killing, and complicity allows prosecutors to hold Asher accountable for that outcome even if he did not fire a weapon.

Conner carries the lengthiest charge sheet of the three. Beyond the complicity and weapons counts, the second-degree escape charge stems from allegations that she removed an ankle monitor and fled supervision following the incident. If the persistent felony offender designation is proven at trial, it allows the court to impose an enhanced sentence based on prior convictions.

Deputies first responded to the scene on March 3 after reports of an altercation and found Huff with gunshot wounds. Arrests and warrants followed in the days and weeks after as investigators gathered physical evidence, executed searches, and collected witness statements across multiple counties.

As of March 30, Asher and Conner were being held at the Kentucky River Regional Jail. Smith remains in custody at the Leslie County Detention Center on related charges. The indictments require Perry Circuit Court to schedule formal arraignment dates for all three defendants, the next procedural step before pretrial motions and, ultimately, trial.

Anyone with information about the case can contact the Perry County Sheriff's Office.