LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Almost six months to the day after a well-known Laurel County businessman was found shot to death, deputies say they’ve charged his girlfriend with murder.

Deputies arrested 49-year-old Victoria Strelsky on Wednesday at Bryan McCarty’s home. She is accused of shooting him multiple times.

The murder investigation rattled the rural community.

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“This guy was real well-known, everybody knew him in the area, and he was known to be a great guy, very generous guy, and you know it was a shock to the community,” Deputy Gilbert Acciardo said.

McCarty was a farmer and owned rental property in the area. For nearly six months investigators have been gathering evidence and following leads to get to this point.

“We solve our homicides in rural Kentucky. Usually, it’s a smoking gun type case where the individual is still there and they got into an argument or they were drinking,” Acciardo said.

But this case wasn’t as simple, the lead investigator clocking several hours to find a suspect.

“Our lead detective Taylor McDaniel, he practically lived and breathed working it day and night until we got closure for the family,” Acciardo said.

There are still many questions about why Strelsky allegedly killed McCarty, who was called his “soulmate” in his obituary.

Deputies arrested her Wednesday at McCarty’s home, giving answers to a family that’s been grieving.

Strelsky is also charged with forgery and tampering with physical evidence. She’s now in the Laurel County Detention Center and her arraignment is scheduled for Friday morning.

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