Kentucky Man Arrested After Hanging ‘Body Bags’ of Local Officials in Disturbing Halloween Display
STANTON, KENTUCKY — A 58-year-old Kentucky man has been arrested after police discovered Halloween decorations depicting local government officials in body bags — including one figure hanging by a rope marked “District Judge.”
Authorities say Stephan Marcum, of Stanton, Kentucky, was taken into custody Saturday afternoon after officers responding to a terroristic threat call found a disturbing display outside his home.
Marcum now faces charges of intimidating a witness in a legal process and third-degree terroristic threatening, according to an arrest citation obtained by WPTV and The Independent.
Police Discover Five “Bodies” in the Yard
Officers with the Powell County Sheriff’s Office said they arrived at Marcum’s home on Court Street in Stanton around 2 p.m. after receiving a report of a possible threat involving “Halloween decorations.”
When they arrived, they found five fake “bodies” wrapped in black trash bags, each labeled with titles belonging to local government officials.
According to the citation, four of the bodies were mounted on stakes and marked with signs reading “Mayor,” “SIS,” “C.A.,” and “Zoning Mgr.”
A fifth figure was found hanging from a rope around its neck, labeled “District Judge.”
“The one hanging was labeled ‘District Judge.’ There was a rope around the neck of the body,” police wrote in the arrest report.
Officers described the display as “intimidating and threatening in nature” — not a typical Halloween decoration.
Suspect Refused to Explain the Display
When officers confronted Marcum, he refused to speak with police or take down the decorations. Authorities then arrested him on the spot.
He was booked into the Powell County Detention Center and is being held on a $5,000 bond.
Investigators later seized the display and transported it to the Kentucky State Police Post 8 Office in Morehead as evidence.
Officials said the scene appeared to be designed to simulate executions of local officials, prompting immediate concern from both law enforcement and community leaders.
Community Reaction and Legal Context
Powell County Judge Executive Eddie Barnes, who was not one of the officials named in the display, said the sight left him stunned.
“At first I didn’t know what to think about it,” Barnes told WKYT News. “I actually drove by and saw it in his yard, and I thought, wow — that’s kind of harsh.”
Barnes said he has known Marcum for years and described him as someone capable of being “a good person,” but said the display crossed a line.
Legal experts say that while free speech laws protect artistic or political expression, they do not protect threats meant to terrorize or intimidate others.
“The First Amendment doesn’t shield individuals from prosecution if their actions are designed to instill fear or target specific people,” said Stephen Voss, a political science professor at the University of Kentucky.
National Comparisons and Broader Concerns
The case has drawn comparisons to other controversial Halloween displays nationwide. Just last month, a Houston neighborhood faced backlash over a display showing mannequins hanging from gallows, prompting public debate about the limits of expression and public safety.
Authorities in Kentucky say while creative freedom is valued, depictions of violence directed at real individuals will be treated as potential criminal threats — not seasonal humor.
This chilling case highlights the fine line between free speech and criminal intimidation as Halloween season begins. For continuing updates on this investigation and community reactions, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.