A Kentucky man accused of killing his wife allegedly bludgeoned her so severely with a piece of wood that he left her virtually “unrecognizable.”
Richard Chesher has been charged with the Friday, March 6, murder of his wife, Bonnie Chesher.
The 67-year-old was arrested early on Saturday, March 7, and is being held without bond, charged with murder – domestic violence, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse, Us Weekly has learned.
Officers had been called to the couple’s home at approximately 9:10 p.m. on Friday but it remains unclear who made that call.
Cops were met outside by Chesher, who was standing in front of the open garage door. Chesher was allegedly covered in his wife’s blood, according to local reports.
Police could also see Bonnie’s lifeless body on the garage’s floor.
Investigators claimed she was beaten in the face and head to the point she was “unrecognizable,” local reports indicate.
Detectives allegedly followed a trail of blood from Bonnie’s body to the inside of the home, where police suspect the attack unfolded.
A chunk of wood also soaked in Bonnie’s blood was recovered from the home.
Chesher allegedly dragged his wife’s body into the garage where police found a pickup truck backed up to the door. They also allegedly found wooden boards leading from the garage floor up to the truck’s bed, per the reports.
Bonnie Chesher’s body was at the base of the makeshift ramp, tied up with a garden hose. Police believe Chesher was trying to load her body into the truck, according to the reports.
“It’s concerning,” offered a neighbor, speaking to WDRB. “I’m very sad for the family and the neighborhood.”
The Mt. Washington Police Department said in a social media post that it does not release details of crimes in their jurisdiction with the press.
“It has come to our attention that posts are being made on social media regarding an arrest the Mt. Washington Police Dept made on 3/7/2026,” the post reads. “We would like to clarify that it is the practice of the Mt. Washington Police Department to not share any details of any ongoing investigation with the public or the news media. Following that practice, we have not made, and will not make, any statements regarding any details of ongoing investigations.”
The department claimed “this is for both the integrity of the case as well as respect for the family of anyone involved. We may share information that is public record or a safety concern to the public. The incident currently being discussed has no public safety concerns. We would hope that people and the news media would consider the feelings and privacy of family members before making false social media posts.”
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
