Florida man accused of murdering hotel employee in Kentucky after couple declined to give him lighter

FOX News ^ | February 12, 2023 | Paul Best

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

A Florida man was arrested for murder on Saturday after allegedly assaulting a couple in the parking lot of a Kentucky hotel then shooting and killing an employee, according to the McCracken County Sheriff's Office.

In addition to first-degree murder, 55-year-old Robert Pannell was also charged with assault, wanton endangerment, disorderly conduct, menacing, and resisting arrest.

Law enforcement officers were called to a Best Western hotel in southwestern Kentucky about an active shooter around 9:48 a.m. on Saturday morning.

A Paducah police officer located Pannell in the parking lot and detained him, while a sheriff's deputy began searching the hotel and located the employee on the first floor with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body.

Detectives learned during the investigation that Pannell allegedly assaulted a couple in the parking lot after they couldn't give him a cigarette lighter.

He then entered the hotel with a handgun and opened fire indiscriminately, according to the sheriff, leaving the employee dead. No one else was struck by gunfire.

[kiryandil]

Crikey!

Florida Man was grumpy!

[EvilCapitalist]

Yikes! I had refuse a light for a man once, but that’s only because I don’t smoke. And this guy murdered, because someone didn’t have a light?

[Williams]

There are some evil crazy pigs out there.

[Bigg Red]

Horrible. Prayers up for the repose of the soul of the murder victim and for consolation for his loved ones.

[lee martell]

Not that it matters, but I don’t think this killer was one of the Homeless. Most longterm homeless don’t have functional guns and bullets at the ready. He also looks too well fed.
I’m thinking either an untreated mental disorder or Meth, which can make anyone’s life unravel in quick order.

[airborne]

Was he awantin’ ta light hiz crack pipe awful bad???

[Phoenix8]

Shoot him mortally and as he lays alert slowly dying cut his head off then impale it on a spike and mount it on a corner as a warning to all who consider a life of crime. Do this to all murderers, fentanyl dealers, repeat violent car jackkers etc. No not just scary words that’s how it used to be done in the USA. About 1800 near Henderson Kentucky, this is the justice given to what some call the first American serial killer. The Harpe Brothers( Big Harpe).

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Someone should be charged for failure to carry a concealed weapon with which to kill him before he could go in the hotel and shoot an innocent person.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I think hangings are more dignified, personally. But who cares, as long as they're executed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCKKcIci8SQ

[ViLaLuz]

A nut threatened to beat me with his weed eater because I wouldn’t buy gas to put in it for him. He got permanently trespassed from the property.

[Nifster]

Or alcohol

[mfish13]

Paducah is Northwestern not southwestern. Who is the editor on this?

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Who needs to know all that thar geography anyway?

[Reynoldo]

Is geograhy racist — kinda like mathematics?

[Dr. Sivana]

If your reference point is Louisville or Frankfort, Paducah is southwest. Even though it is on the northern border, the state's odd slope makes it justifiable to call the whole region southwest Kentucky.

[Paul R.]

Paducah is just plain “Western KY”.

Local report says the hospital kept the victim alive for possible organ donation, but she was shot up too badly. Perp shot her several times.

https://www.westkentuckystar.com/News/Local-Regional/Florida-man-arrested-in-Saturday-morning-Paducah-h

[MayflowerMadam]

It’s over the state line above Nashville, TN. Definitely not north KY.

[Bob434]

sure glad we stopped sending crazy people to institutions- it’s paid off so well

[mfish13]

Paducah is on the Ohio River. I had a manufacturing site there. Northern Kentucky.