Judge sets $1 million bond for man accused of fatally beating wife

BULLITT COUNTY, Ky. (WAVE) - A Bullitt County judge has set a $1 million full-cash bond for a Mount Washington man accused of fatally beating his wife last week.

Mount Washington police were dispatched around 9:09 p.m. Friday to the 100 block of Williamsburg Court.

When officers arrived, they found Richard Chesher standing at his open garage door with blood covering his hands, face and clothing. Chesher immediately began trying to close the garage door as he saw the officers arriving.

Police say a body was visible lying on the garage floor, also covered in blood.

According to an arrest report, Chesher was detained without incident.

The body in the garage was identified as Chesher’s wife, who was dead when police arrived. Police say her face and body were covered in blood, and that her face and head had been beaten so badly she was “unrecognizable.”

A trail of blood was found in the house, leading to where police believe the attack took place, and officers believe Chesher dragged her body into the garage. Officers also found what they described as a club-like piece of wood, covered with what appeared to be blood.

The arrest report says a pickup truck was backed up to the garage door, with a ramp fashioned out of wooden boards arranged from the garage floor to the bed of the truck. The victim was wrapped in a garden hose near the ramp, leading police to believe Chesher was attempting to load her body into the bed of the truck.

Police said no one else was in the home when they arrived.

Chesher is charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse.

A judge set the bond for Chesher in court on March 9 and entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Cheser will be back in court March 17 for an preliminary hearing.