Jason Ellis

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Federal Bureau Of Investigation (DC)

Offense Location:

Bardstown, Kentucky

Reward:

up to $50,000 via FBI

Not from STC, Conditions and restrictions apply

Summary:

On May 25 2013, Officer Jason Ellis was killed after finishing his shift for the Bardstown, Kentucky Police Department. Ellis had signed off on the radio and was driving home when he encountered branches blocking the road on exit 34 of the Bluegrass Parkway in Bardstown, Kentucky. To ensure the safety of the public, he got out of his vehicle to clear the branches. While attempting to remove the debris, he was shot several times and died shortly after.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

Officer Ellis was discovered by a passing motorist. He was a K-9 handler (narcotics dog) for the police department in addition to his patrol duties. Outside of work, he was heavily involved in the community including coaching youth baseball. Ellis was shot multiple times with a 12-gauge shotgun. Ellis' service weapon was in its holster, suggesting the possibility of an ambush initially. According to the investigation, it appears as though Ellis was shot from a downward trajectory by a gunman positioned on a nearby hill.

Additional Details:

The FBI has a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for Ellis’ death. Ellis’ death was the first in a series of unsolved murders in the tight-knit community of Bardstown, Kentucky. Less than two years after his death, Crystal Rogers, a mother of five from Bardstown, would disappear in 2015. A year after her disappearance, Rogers’ father, Tommy Ballard, would be murdered while on a hunting trip with his grandson. It is widely believed that these three cases are potentially connected. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron named Commonwealth Attorney Shane Young as a special prosecutor in the investigation into the the deaths of Jason Ellis, Crystal Rogers and Tommy Ballard.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 25, 2026