INFAMOUS: The Murder of Amber Spradlin

The gist

Amber Spradlin, a 38-year-old who had overcome significant trauma to gain independence, was killed in June 2023 at the home of prominent local dentist Michael McKinney. Six people were present that night; one ended up dead with her throat slashed and 12 stab wounds. Despite clear evidence of foul play and suspicious behavior from those in the house, the investigation was complicated by missing surveillance footage, destroyed evidence, and questions about whether local authorities attempted to obstruct justice.

Key takeaways

• The crime scene: Amber was found on a couch with defensive wounds, 12 stab wounds to her face, neck, head, and torso, and a knife blade lodged in her neck. The killer's knife handle was never recovered.

• Missing evidence: Surveillance cameras pointing directly at the couch where Amber died were removed, along with the DVR and hard drive. An intact knife was recovered from the couch, suggesting it may have been planted.

• The suspect pool: Six people were in the house—Michael McKinney (55, restaurant/dental practice owner), his son MK (23), Roy Kidd (51, covered in blood), Josh Mullins, Lauren (Josh's girlfriend), and Amber.

• Roy Kidd's story problems: Despite claiming to be extremely intoxicated (9-10 out of 10 drunk), Roy was covered in blood but had no wounds, failed a polygraph on four key questions about the murder, and his account of events contains inconsistencies.

• MK's suspicious behavior: MK had visible scratches on both arms in a pattern suggesting claw marks; he made a 911 call about Roy being "really effed up and bleeding profusely" before the murder was discovered; and surveillance showed his truck leaving around 8:30 AM, contradicting his father's claim he left the night before.

• DNA evidence and charges: Material under Amber's fingernails came from a male with McKinney family DNA, though YSTR testing couldn't definitively identify whether it was Michael or MK. MK was charged with murder and eight counts of evidence tampering; Michael and Josh face evidence tampering charges for allegedly destroying the knife handle, surveillance equipment, and cleaning up blood.

• Alleged cover-up concerns: Prestonsburg Police Chief Randy Woods called a family friend and told them Amber died by aspiration, not murder—before any official investigation conclusion. He made an 8-minute call to Michael McKinney before 911 was called. Woods resigned five days after the murder, citing emotional toll from an unrelated 2022 shooting.

• Systemic concerns: Floyd County recently switched its 911 system from Kentucky State Police to Prestonsburg, creating operational confusion. The case family also identified a pattern of suspicious deaths of women in the county that went uninvestigated, suggesting potential systemic issues.

Notable quotes

"Something in Floyd County stinks. And based on what we found, this might just be scratching the surface of what's been happening there." — Ashley Flowers

"People feel that there are two kinds of justice in Floyd County, one for the haves and one for the have nots." — Debbie (Amber's cousin)

"It looks like somebody's come into the house and murdered her. Her throat slit. There's blood everywhere." — Michael McKinney's 911 call (despite having minimal visibility of Amber's actual wounds)

Worth a full listen?

Listen if you want to understand a complex murder investigation involving potential cover-ups by powerful local figures, forensic evidence collection delays, and the family's quest for justice—this case remains active and unsolved pending trial, with significant community advocacy efforts ongoing.