92-Year-Old Veteran Kills Intruder

VERONA, Ky. — A man who once defended the United States had to defend himself against intruders at his home. Now, a man is dead and two others are behind bars.

Earl Jones is a 92-year-old Air Force Veteran who worked on planes including the Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Jones has had money, cattle and guns stolen from his home at least three times recently.

“I said, ‘somebody’s down there,’” Jones said. “So, I got my gun. I was sitting right here and I heard him on the steps.”

He waited with a .22 rifle until the intruders approached his basement door.

“He kicked the door and as soon as he got inside it was all over,” he said.

Jones only fired his gun once. A single shot hit and killed 24-year-old Lloyd Maxwell.

Maxwell’s two partners removed his body from the scene. They put him in their car and then called 911. A witness said he saw the men when they stopped to call emergency responders.

“I saw this kid in the yard here and my neighbor was checking on the other kid in the car that I guess got shot,” said witness Kirk Schneider. “He took his pulse and said he’s dead.”

Ryan Dalton and Donnie Inabnit both admitted their involvement in the robbery attempt to police. They now face charges of burglary and tampering with evidence.

Earl Jones will not be charged.