MAN Shot, Killed DURING BREAK-IN

The peace of Christmas in the Cane Valley community was violently shattered late Friday night when a man was shot and killed during a break-in at an apartment.
Thirty-four-year old Bobby Bunch was breaking in the door of 30-year-old Michael Compton's apartment at approximately 10 o'clock on Christmas night when Compton shot and fatally wounded Bunch. The apartment is located at 2294 Cane Valley Road on the second floor of what is known as the old Cane Valley Bank building.
According to the Kentucky State Police, Compton had called the Adair County 911 Center and reported that Bunch was attempting to force his way into his apartment shortly before the shooting occurred. 911 Center dispatchers notified law enforcement officials, and when Trooper James Richard arrived on the scene, he found Bunch dead inside the apartment.
Adair County Coroner Rick Wilson said that Deputy Coroner Todd Akin pronounced Bunch dead at 10:14 p.m.
An autopsy was performed at the Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office in Louisville on Saturday, and Coroner Wilson said that preliminary results show that Bunch died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the chest.
Bethany Catron, a Glasgow attorney who has been retained by Michael Compton, said in an interview Tuesday that Compton did all he could to avoid a confrontation with Bunch, but was left with no choice.
"The law recognizes that we're safest in our home, and when marauders threaten the well-being of a home's inhabitants, we have the right to protect ourselves," Catron stated.
"Threats were made against Michael's life, and the life of the other individual (a female) that was in the residence, and these threats were reported," she continued.
Catron said that Bunch called the Compton residence and said he was coming there to do bodily harm to both Compton and the female.
"They called 911 and reported this, but Bobby Bunch apparently was on his way to the residence at that time, because he arrived before the police officers," she explained. "The second time they called 911, Bunch was breaking down the door and the barricade which they had placed in front of it, and Michael was forced to use deadly force.
"Michael didn't ask for the confrontation, nor did he want the confrontation," she continued. "He did everything he could to prevent the confrontation."
Catron also noted that another individual drove Bunch to the residence, and may have assisted him in breaking through the locked door and barricade.
The state police list Bunch as living at 323 Jimmy Street in Russell Springs, but Coroner Wilson said that relatives of Bunch said that he moved around, and he also used an address on Burton-Garmon Road in Adair County.
Trooper Billy Gregory, Public Affairs Officer for the Columbia State Police Post, said that Compton and Bunch were acquainted, and also noted that Bunch had a fairly lengthy criminal record in Russell County and the surrounding area. In July of this year, Columbia Police Department officers arrested Bunch and another individual in connection with a burglary at the Quick Stop Discount Tobacco on Campbellsville Road.
KSP Det. Mike Dubree is heading the investigation into the shooting. No charges have been filed against Compton at this time, and Trooper Gregory said the case will be presented to an Adair County Grand Jury at a later date to determine if any charges are warranted.
Attorney Catron said that they are anxious for the case to go before a grand jury.
"We welcome the matter being presented to a grand jury," she stated. "We are confident in the legal system, and are confident that the grand jury will exonerate Michael."
Catron went on to say that both Michael Compton and the female that was in the apartment have received death threats since the shooting occurred, and will depend on the legal system to handle these in an appropriate manner.
"We are also confident that Commonwealth Attorney Brian Wright will make sure that any type of retaliation against Michael and his family will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," she stated.
Photo:Bobby Bunch was fatally shot when he broke in the second story apartment in the old Cane Valley Bank building Christmas night. (Photo by Paul B. Hayes)