WENSBORO – It was the little things in life Lucas B. Goodrum, 23, of Scottsville said he missed while in jail for almost two years.
Walking around outside, spending time with family, enjoying life as a free man.
But Goodrum will get to experience those little things again now that a jury has found him not guilty of murdering Pellville freshman Melissa “Katie” Autry.
“I’m happy to be a free man and be with my family,” he said.
Goodrum discussed his plans for the future at a press conference at the Executive Inn after the verdict announcement.
He intended to join his mother and stepfather on their ranch near Denton, Texas, that night.
Goodrum said he would probably stay in Texas for a while, riding cutting horses and working on his stepfather Bruce Dugas’ ranch.
Mindy Brown, publicist for the Dugas family, said Monday that Goodrum and his family are getting readjusted to being a family and are currently not permitting interviews.
Despite being accused of murder and jailed for nearly two years, Goodrum said during the press conference that he would consider returning to Kentucky in the future.
Goodrum had been charged with raping, sodomizing and setting Autry on fire on May 4, 2003. Autry died from third-degree burns three days later.
Goodrum could have faced the death penalty if convicted of murder.
“That’s the most frightening thing in the world to know that my life may be taken away because of a lie,” Goodrum said.
Donna Dugas said she knew it must have been hard for her son to consider the penalties if he had been found guilty.
Until the start of the trial in Owensboro, Goodrum had been in custody at the Warren County Regional Jail since May 2003.
“It was probably 23 months of hell,” Dugas said.
She and other members of Goodrum’s family and members of his defense team surrounded Goodrum during the conference, wearing green “Lucas is Innocent” buttons.
Goodrum acknowledged the importance of his family, friends and attorneys who helped him get through his trial and months in jail.
“I knew everything would turn out right,” he said.
Reach Ashlee Clark at news@wkuherald.com.
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