Man who killed 4 at party in Florence home was free, armed despite felony conviction

Chase Garvey faced a felony charge two years ago that could have put him behind bars for years and barred him from carrying a gun.

But early Saturday morning, police say, Garvey was free and armed when he walked into a home in Florence and opened fire on a crowd of people gathered for a birthday party, killing four.

Garvey, 21, was on probation after pleading guilty to the felony charge in 2022 that accused him of having sex with a 13-year-old in the parking lot of a Fort Mitchell apartment complex.

The plea was to a lesser charge than the rape charge Garvey initially faced, but it carried a possible sentence of up to five years in prison. Though he was sentenced to probation instead, he still could not legally possess a gun because he was a felon.

It's not known how Garvey obtained the gun police say he used Saturday to kill four of the partygoers and wounded three others, before turning the gun on himself. Paris Miller − the sister of victim Shane Miller − has said one of the victims, Delaney Eary, was Garvey's ex-girlfriend.

Court documents from the earlier case reveal Garvey spent less than two months behind bars, most of which was because of a probation violation after he was caught with another 13-year-old in his vehicle. Here's what happened:

In June 2021, Garvey was 18 and met up with a 13-year-old he had been speaking with on Snapchat, according to court records.

Police said the girl told Garvey she was 13 and didn't want to do anything sexual. When she told him to stop, police said, he raped her in the backseat of his vehicle.

According to the records, Garvey admitted to police that he had sex with the girl.

Garvey was arrested on Aug. 12, 2021, and charged with rape and sodomy. On Aug. 17, he was released to home incarceration. A bond of $25,000 had been posted for him.

But those initial charges were reduced in March 2022 to unlawful transaction with a minor. The charge is still a felony, but a lesser one with a sentence of one to five years in prison.

Under Kentucky and federal law, felony convictions bar people from possessing firearms.

A plea deal offer from prosecutors said that in exchange for a guilty plea on the new charge, prosecutors would recommend a sentence of five years probation. The plea deal form has a space to explain the "reasons for amended charges." Prosecutors wrote: "The facts of the case and the best interest of the victim."

Prosecutors from the Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney's office, who handled the case, could not be reached Monday to discuss Garvey's plea agreement or sentence. But it is common in sex offense cases for prosecutors to make efforts to protect juvenile victims from having to testify, which can re-traumatize them.

Judge Kathy Lape gave Garvey a five-year suspended sentence, ordered him to stay away from the victim and ordered him to participate in psychological counseling.

Garvey remained on probation until his death on Saturday.

The records show he spent 30 days in jail on a probation violation last year. Police said he was caught doing doughnuts in the parking lot of a Dave & Busters with a 13-year-old boy in the passenger seat.

The probation officer noted serious concerns about Garvey's behavior because "his current case that he is on supervision for also involved a minor in a vehicle in a parking lot."

Florence police said Monday that Garvey acted alone to perpetrate Saturday's shooting and was found shortly after with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital where he died.