BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

FLOYD COUNTY — Kentucky State Police have arrested a Floyd County man in connection with the death of a Beaver woman discovered last week, authorities said Monday.

Troopers took Joshua Gayheart, 35, of Beaver, into custody following ongoing investigative work, according to KSP Post 9. He is charged with murder and is being held at the Floyd County Detention Center.

The arrest stems from a call KSP received Nov. 21 from Prestonsburg 911 reporting an unresponsive woman in the Beaver community. Troopers responded to the 14,000 block of Kentucky Route 979, where they found Sarah Slone, 35, deceased.

KSP said preliminary evidence indicated Slone died from a gunshot wound. The Floyd County Coroner pronounced her dead at the scene and transported her body to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.

Detective Dylan Mullins is leading the investigation, with assistance from additional KSP personnel.