Chase Garvey was charged with a felony two years ago that could have landed him in prison for years and banned him from carrying a gun.
But early Saturday morning, police said, Garvey was at large and armed when he walked into a Florence home and opened fire on a group of people gathered for a birthday party, killing four people.
Garvey, 21, was on probation after pleading guilty in 2022 to a misdemeanor charge in which he was accused of having sex with a 13-year-old girl in the parking lot of a Fort Mitchell apartment complex.
The plea was a lesser charge than the rape charge Garvey originally faced, but it carried a possible prison sentence of up to five years. Although he was instead sentenced to probation, he still could not own a gun because he was a felon.
It is not known how Garvey obtained the weapon that police say he used Saturday to kill four partygoers and wound three others before turning the gun on himself. Paris Miller, the sister of victim Shane Miller, has said one of the victims, Delaney Eary, was Garvey’s ex-girlfriend.
Court documents from the previous case reveal that Garvey spent less than two months behind bars, most of it for a probation violation after he was caught in his vehicle with another 13-year-old. Here’s what happened:
In June 2021, Garvey was 18 and met a 13-year-old boy whom he spoke to via Snapchat, court documents show.
According to police, the girl told Garvey she was 13 and did not want to do anything sexual. When she told him to stop, he raped her in the backseat of his vehicle, police said.
According to the records, Garvey admitted to police that he had sex with the girl.
Garvey was arrested on August 12, 2021 and charged with rape and sodomy. He was released on August 17 and placed on house arrest. He was given a $25,000 bond.
But those initial charges were reduced to unlawful transaction with a minor in March 2022. The charge is still a felony, but a lesser one carrying a sentence of one to five years in prison.
Kentucky and federal law prohibit the possession of firearms for felony convictions.
A plea deal offer from prosecutors said that in exchange for a guilty plea to the new charge, prosecutors would recommend a sentence of five years’ probation. The plea agreement form has a space to explain the “reasons for amended charges.” Prosecutors wrote: “The facts of the case and the best interest of the victim.”
Prosecutors from the Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office, which handled the case, could not be reached Monday to discuss Garvey’s plea agreement or sentence. But it is common in sex crimes cases for prosecutors to take steps to protect underage victims from having to testify, which could re-traumatize them.
Judge Kathy Lape gave Garvey a five-year suspended sentence, ordered him to stay away from the victim and required him to participate in psychological counseling.
Garvey remained on probation until his death on Saturday.
Records show he spent 30 days in jail last year for a probation violation, after he was caught eating doughnuts in the parking lot of a Dave & Busters with a 13-year-old boy in the passenger seat, according to police.
The probation officer had serious concerns about Garvey’s behavior because “his current case, for which he is under supervision, also involved a minor in a vehicle in a parking lot.”
Florence police said Monday that Garvey acted alone to commit Saturday’s shooting and was found shortly afterward with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital, where he died.