Alice Jane Nethery Hensley, 35, was born in Lexington, KY. She was the mother of Jennifer Hartman, 13, and the daughter of Bob Nethery of Lakewood, CO. Her natural mother, Judith Lanman, died in 1978. Alice was raised by her step-father, Joel Watson. She graduated from Ashland (KY) High School. Alice Jane was employed at a Family Resource Center.
She was divorced in 1995 from Donnie Hartman of Ashland. Donnie was the father of Jennifer and he and Alice Jane continued to share a special bond and remained friends until her death.
But Alice Jane was infatuated with Buck Hensley. They had dated during her early high school years. She married Buck in 1996.
Their relationship had problems during the five years they were married, according to Buck Hensley. According to Bob Nethery, she decided to walk away from her marriage, quit her job, and return to college. She was excited, relieved and felt a new hope for her future.
After having spent the evening out with her husband (Buck said they had been drinking) Alice Jane was shot in the head with a 38 caliber gun in her home in Ashland. She died shortly after being taken to the hospital on March 3, 2001. The coroner ruled the death a suicide.
Her parents were called by Donnie in the early morning hours of the 3rd.
In their grief her family was dismayed to learn there was no crime scene investigation, no autopsy and no formal investigation until 12 days after her death. The Boyd County sheriff’s dept. and/or the coroner accepted the husband’s story that Alice Jane had shot herself in his presence.
Anyone with other information about this death should call the Kentucky State Police.