Man accused of killing Deputy Conley makes first in-person court appearance

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - The man accused of killing Deputy Caleb Conley was back in court Friday morning.

Steven Sheangshang made his first in-person court appearance. Officers wheeled him into a Fayette County courtroom around 8:30.

He’s accused of killing Deputy Conley, then going on a violent crime streak into Lexington.

Several Lexington police detectives took the stand Friday against Sheangshang, including Det. Nicholas Music. Music covered Sheangshang’s charges for assault, robbery and evidence tampering.

Music says Sheangshang drove a stolen minivan into Lexington, where he found Dave DiLeonardo near Rose & Jim’s Bar and Grill, where he shot and carjacked him.

The detective later interviewed DiLeonardo about the encounter.

“To quote him what Mr. Sheangshang said before he took his keys, he said, ‘I just killed a f***ing cop. Give me your keys,’” Music testified.

Music says Sheangshang then took DiLeonardo’s Ford Bronco into Lexington’s west end. Police found it on Whitney Avenue. Music says Sheangshang came out of a home on Charles Avenue and was arrested without further incident.

Police say they found a 44 magnum revolver in the trash at that home, which brought the evidence tampering charge.

We learned during Friday morning’s hearing that police say a woman with him witnessed every part of that crime streak. Officers identified her as Sheangshang’s girlfriend.

“When they were stopped in Scott County, Mr. Sheangshang told her that ‘this was not going to end well’ and that she heard the shot there,” Music said.

Right now, she is not facing any charges.

All of Sheangshang’s Fayette County charges will next go before a grand jury. That date is not yet set. Sheangshang also faces three counts of burglary, which happened prior to the night of Deputy Conley’s death.

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