Paducah man pleads guilty in 2021 murder case

A guilty plea has been entered in the 2021 kidnapping and murder of a Louisville man in McCracken County.

According to the Commonwealth Attorney's Office, 30-year-old William Tabor pled guilty to one charge of capital murder and one of kidnapping resulting in the victim's death in the case of Justin Housewright. Housewright of Louisville was reportedly bound and tortured for several hours in McCracken County on November 11th, 2021. Tabor and an accomplice are said to have tried to take Housewright out of the Paducah area, but a stop at the home of one of Tabor's acquaintances to get some help afforded Housewright a chance to try and escape.

As Housewright tried to flee, Tabor allegedly shot him in the back. Seeing that he was still breathing Tabor is said to have shot Housewright again in the head. 

After Paducah Police arrested Tabor, he reportedly got into a physical altercation with and assaulted a corrections officer at the McCracken County Regional Jail. He pled guilty to that charge, as well. The guilty pleas mean that Tabor will serve life without the possibility of parole for 25 years.  

Chuck Walter and James Mills prosecuted the case for the Commonwealth.