PSA Airlines Pilot Arrested On Murder Charges Just Moments Before Takeoff
May 13 2019, Published 4:53 p.m. ET
A pilot for an American Airlines subsidiary was arrested on murder charges just minutes before he was set to takeoff on a place full of travelers.
Christian R. Martin, who flew for PSA Airlines, was getting ready for a flight from Louisville to North Carolina over the weekend when cops swept into Louisville International Airport and busted him.
The 51-year-old was accused of killing a married couple and their neighbor. Martin moved from Christian County after the slayings and was living in Raleigh at the time of the indictment, a jail spokesman said. He is being held without bond on murder, arson and burglary charges along with tampering with physical evidence.
Martin’s jail mugshot shows him wearing a pilot’s uniform.
Police said the case dates back to 2015, when Calvin Phillips, 59, was found shot to death in the cellar of his home. The bodies of Pamela Phillips, 58, and their neighbor, Edward Dansereau were found a few miles away in a cornfield inside her burned car.
A possible motive for the killings has yet to be revealed, but in a 2016 interview with NBC affiliate WSMV-TV, Martin accused Calvin of having an affair with his wife.
“I hope this is a day that brings some justice to these families,” Attorney General Andy Beshear said in a videotaped statement Saturday. “There are many steps from here, but we hope this is one example of when you never stop seeking justice, when you never give up, that we can truly get important results for these families.”
American Airlines said Martin has been placed on administrative suspension pending the outcome of the investigation and court proceedings, which includes the suspension of all travel privileges.
In a statement, American said, "Pilots undergo a criminal background check and recurrent vetting for any derogatory information," adding Martin didn't have "any criminal history that would disqualify him from being a commercial pilot."
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