By Justin Story, Bowling Green Daily News

GLASGOW – A defendant in a Barren County double murder case in which he was related to the two victims avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty.

Cody Nathaniel Bacon, 23, of Glasgow, entered the guilty plea Monday in Barren Circuit Court to two counts of murder and two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.

Bacon was awaiting trial in the deaths of his brother, David A. Pace, 24, and sister-in-law, Brittany R. Pace, 23, both of Glasgow.

The two were shot to death Sept. 2, 2021, and were the parents of two children who are said in court documents to have been present during the shooting.

Barren County Commonwealth’s Attorney John Gardner had filed notice of his intent to seek the death penalty against Bacon, but a plea agreement recommends a sentence of life with no chance at parole for at least 25 years.

Answering a series of questions from Barren Circuit Judge John Alexander, Bacon said he was pleading guilty voluntarily and understood the plea agreement presented to him.

Gardner said that he had discussed the plea offer with David and Brittany Pace’s surviving family prior to Monday’s court hearing.

Several family members cried softly as Bacon, standing with his court-appointed defense team of attorneys Lauren Hunter and Wesley Boyarski, admitted guilt.

“I think a lot of thought and effort from both sides has gone into crafting an acceptable resolution,” Alexander said as he accepted the guilty plea from Bacon.

The Glasgow Police Department investigated the double homicide.

GPD officers found the bodies of the couple Sept. 2, 2021, in a residence on North Race Street.

According to an arrest citation, police arrived at the residence soon after a 911 call from a man who reported that he had shot his brother and sister-in-law.

GPD Sgt. Wesley Hicks said in the arrest citation that when he arrived at the scene, he saw a man waving his arms at him, which prompted the officer to command the man, later identified as Bacon, at gunpoint to drop to his knees.

Bacon was detained and “began to state he was sorry for what he done,” according to court records.

“Bacon stated that he had shot his brother and sister-in-law because he was tired of his brother and sister-in-law arguing/fussing with the children,” Hicks said in the arrest citation.

Surviving family members dispute that the children had been mistreated.

Bacon told police he used a 9 mm handgun to shoot David and Brittany Pace and that two children were behind him when he fired the gun, the citation said.

According to the GPD, police encountered Bacon with a weapon in his hands, and he complied with officers’ commands before being taken into custody.

Family members said that David Pace was a route driver and his wife was a stay-at-home mother.

Bacon, who has been held in Barren County Corrections Center since his arrest, will return to court Nov. 3 for sentencing.