A 72-year-old Kentucky man, Ronald Coots, faces multiple charges after allegedly threatening his wife Betty with a loaded shotgun on March 13, 2026, convinced she was poisoning him with Tylenol.
Incident Overview
Betty Coots called 911 from their Phelps home, reporting Ronald outside with a gun threatening to kill her and others over suspicions of poisoning via deviled eggs. She locked him out, hid in the bathroom, but he broke in through a living room window, found her, and demanded she come outside to avoid killing her indoors.
Police Response
Ring camera footage captured Ronald pointing the shotgun at the door after Betty locked him out again. Officers arrived, convinced him to drop the weapon (loaded with five shells), and noted his delusional claims; he later said he should’ve “blew her brains out.” Blood trails and a handprint on the bathroom door evidenced his path inside.
Charges and Status
Ronald, treated for a cut arm, was booked into Pike County Detention Center on charges of burglary, wanton endangerment, terroristic threatening, and menacing. He appeared in court March 16, held without bond, with no public defender assigned yet; next court date is March 26.
