Body of Kentucky Lawyer Who Exposed State ‘Sex Toy’ Scandal Found Near Lexington Park: Coroner Confirms Identity
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY — Authorities have confirmed that skeletal remains found near Masterson Station Park last weekend belong to Jacqueline Kerry Heyman, a longtime Kentucky attorney who once made headlines for suing the state’s Public Protection Cabinet after claiming she was fired for exposing misconduct in her office.
The Fayette County Coroner’s Office announced Wednesday that the remains discovered on October 25 in a wooded area near Leestown Road were identified as Heyman, 65.
Who Was Jacqueline Heyman?
Heyman was a respected lawyer who held several key roles within Kentucky’s legal system. She previously served as associate counsel to the chief justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, as well as deputy director and executive counsel at the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts.
Her career later brought her to the Public Protection Cabinet, where she managed the Insurance Legal Division under former Governor Steve Beshear’s administration.
However, her time there was brief and ended in controversy — sparking one of the state’s most unusual whistleblower lawsuits in recent memory.
The Whistleblower Lawsuit Against the Kentucky Cabinet
In 2015, Heyman filed a lawsuit against the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, alleging she was fired in retaliation after reporting that several coworkers were using state time and resources to run an online sex toy business from their office.
Heyman said she alerted her supervisor after learning employees were using state computers, mail systems, and facilities to operate the business. When no action was taken, she escalated her complaint to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission — and was fired days later.
Her termination, she claimed, violated the Kentucky Whistleblower Act. The case went to trial in 2017 but was settled before a verdict was reached. The Louisville Courier Journal reported that the cabinet agreed to pay $225,000 to settle the lawsuit while denying any wrongdoing.
Recent Struggles Before Her Death
In recent years, Heyman had faced personal and legal troubles. Court records show she was charged twice with DUI, most recently in June 2025, when she was sentenced to 14 days in jail and fined $350.
Documents from her latest arrest listed her address as “General Delivery,” indicating that Heyman was homeless at the time of her death.
Despite her hardships, she came from a family with a long history of success. According to the New York Times, her father founded a strip metal mill in Pennsylvania, and her grandfather established the Heyman Manufacturing Company, where her father later served as chairman of the board.
Investigation Into Her Death Continues
The discovery of Heyman’s remains came after a passerby reported finding human bones near a wooded trail close to Masterson Station Park, a popular outdoor area in northwest Lexington. Police have not yet released a cause of death and say the case remains under active investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone who may have seen suspicious activity around Leestown Road or Masterson Station Park in recent weeks to contact Lexington Police.
As investigators work to determine how the former attorney’s life ended, the story of Jacqueline Heyman — once a determined whistleblower who challenged Kentucky’s bureaucracy — has taken a tragic turn. For more updates on Kentucky legal news and community investigations, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.