LYNCH, KY – Virginia resident David Wayne Stoneburner is facing a multitude of charges following the grim discovery of his aunt’s body in a burning vehicle pushed over a mountainside in eastern Kentucky. Authorities assert that the 29-year-old committed the murder in Virginia before transporting the body across state lines.
The tragic chain of events began on a Sunday afternoon when Kentucky state police were alerted to a vehicle engulfed in flames along State Road 160 in Lynch. Upon arrival, officers located a Toyota that had careened down a mountainside, with the body of 44-year-old Saundra Lee Moore found inside.
Authorities have since determined that the incident originated at Moore’s residence in Appalachia, Virginia, approximately 15 miles from the site of her burned car. The Wise County Sheriff’s Office discovered evidence at her home which pointed to a violent altercation resulting in Moore’s death.
Investigators confirmed the case as a homicide following a thorough probe and an interview with Stoneburner. However, law enforcement has not yet specified the cause of Moore’s death or provided details on Stoneburner’s motives, leaving crucial questions unanswered amid an ongoing investigation.
Stoneburner reportedly disclosed a sequence of events to the detectives, though officials have refrained from sharing these details publicly. The statement suggests Moore was killed during a physical altercation at her home on the day of the incident.
Police believe Stoneburner subsequently transported Moore in her own vehicle to Lynch, KY. Once there, it’s alleged that Stoneburner placed Moore in the driver’s seat, set the car ablaze, and sent it over an embankment, culminating in the vehicle’s fiery descent.
Stoneburner now faces charges both in Virginia for murder and in Kentucky for first-degree arson and abuse of a corpse. He is currently detained at the Harlan County Detention Center. The availability of legal representation for Stoneburner has not been confirmed at this time.
Investigators from both states continue to piece together the full scope of this troubling case, which has spanned state borders and commanded attention from law enforcement in Virginia and Kentucky. As the investigation continues, authorities remain poised to uncover and relay additional information to the public.