Jason Ellis: Slain Policeman's Dog Paws Casket At Funeral

Kentucky K9 Officer Jason Ellis was gunned down last Saturday on his way home from work. As he was driving, he came across some debris obstructing the road, which investigators now believe was placed there as a trap. When Ellis got out of the car to remove the debris, he was shot by someone waiting on the side of the road with a shotgun. The wound was fatal. Ellis’ body was found some time later by another driver, but it was already too late to get help.

The investigation into Ellis’ murder is still ongoing. There is still no consensus on whether this attack was meant specifically for Ellis or for anyone driving down the road that evening. Desperate for information, the community raised $40,000 as a reward for anyone coming forward with information, and a local businessman, whose brother was murdered earlier this year, has doubled the reward for information to over $100,000.

Officer Ellis was incredibly well-respected in both his community and the police department. Police cars from as far away as Florida were riding in his funeral procession, and hundreds of people in the community came out to pay their respects to Ellis.

The most heart-breaking picture of all, though, was Ellis’ fellow officer, police dog Figo, keeping a vigil next to his casket. Figo is retiring and will live with Ellis’ wife and children.