A Bizarre Murder Case Is Unfolding in Somerset

SOMERSET, Ky. — A bizarre murder case is unfolding in Somerset, where a man is accused of fatally shooting his neighbor under what police described as delusional circumstances involving so-called “direct energy weapons.”

The shooting happened just after midnight last Wednesday on Dogwood Lane. The victim, Adam Roark, was found shot multiple times outside his home. Investigators testified that the gun’s magazine had been emptied during the incident.

According to testimony from Det. Ryan Jones of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, James Gleason, not only called 911 to confess but claimed he had been “tortured for five years” by his neighbors using “direct energy weapons.”

“911? Yeah, I just wanted to call and say I just shot Adam Roark. You know, I’ve been tortured for five years now,” Gleason told dispatchers in the recorded call.

Detective Jones testified that Gleason did not provide any explanation or evidence of what he believed those “direct energy weapons” were.

During a preliminary hearing Wednesday, the court heard two 911 recordings—one from Roark’s wife immediately after the shooting and another from Gleason himself admitting to the act.

The judge found probable cause to send the case to the Pulaski County grand jury. Dozens of Roark’s family and friends filled the courtroom, though none wished to speak publicly afterward. They said through family representatives that Roark was “deeply loved and respected” by all who knew him.

Gleason’s defense attorney indicated plans to request a mental health evaluation, citing the suspect’s claims of being “tortured” as a possible sign of instability.

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case as the community of Somerset struggles to make sense of the shocking and tragic event.