Kentucky State Police Trooper Hayden Phillips was shot and killed on September 28, 2026, while working a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Warren County. This page covers who he was, what news outlets have confirmed about his death, the published funeral plans and how people can support his family. Our condolences go to his wife, sons, parents, sister, colleagues and community.
Latest Update: September 30, 2026
As of September 30, 2026, the Bowling Green Daily News reports that Phillips was shot and killed Monday during a traffic stop on I-65 in Warren County. A man named Emonnie Branch, 51, of Portland, Tennessee, was arrested the same day. The Daily News says he is charged with murder of a first responder. At his arraignment on Tuesday, a judge appointed a public defender, denied bond and set a preliminary hearing for Friday, October 2. Charges are accusations, and Branch is presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise.
Reports differ on the time of the stop. The Daily News says a criminal complaint puts it at about 1:15 p.m., while LEX18 reported about 2 p.m. They also differ on his age, covered in the Age section below.
What Is Known About the Incident
According to the criminal complaint described by the Bowling Green Daily News, Phillips stopped a Honda Civic on northbound I-65 near the 38-mile marker because of an expired temporary tag. His in-car camera recorded the stop. The complaint says he leaned toward the driver’s side of the car, two shots were fired, and the car merged into traffic and drove north. Police traced the car through its tag and located it and the driver in Jefferson County, where the arrest took place that afternoon.
Kentucky State Police said the agency issued a Blue Alert for the suspect. The case is moving through the courts, so further details may change.
Who Was Hayden Phillips?
He was a three-year Kentucky State Police trooper assigned to Post 3 in Bowling Green, with badge number 369. He graduated from KSP Cadet Class 103. Before joining the state police he served with the Glasgow Police Department and, for a short time, in Russell Springs, where Glasgow’s police chief said he also volunteered with the fire department.
Age
LEX18 reported that Phillips would have turned 29 on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, which would make him 28 when he died. The Bowling Green Daily News also gives 28. The Officer Down Memorial Page lists his age as 27. His full birth date has not been published in the sources I checked.
Family
The Daily News says Phillips is survived by his wife, Jordan, their three sons, his parents and his sister. The children’s ages and the names of his parents and sister were not published. His wife wrote in a widely shared post that she and the boys celebrated what would have been his 29th birthday a few days early.
Life Outside the Uniform
KSP Post 3 spokesman Trooper Katan Parker described Phillips as someone people could count on, with a big personality and a sense of humor. Parker said he liked the outdoors, riding horses and hunting turkeys, and had planted his first garden this past summer. The Daily News reports he volunteered as a baseball coach with Barren County Parks and Recreation, which honored him by lighting its scoreboard and marking baseballs with his badge number. Glasgow’s police chief said he also coached his son’s soccer team. Parker said Sundays in his household meant church followed by a big family dinner.
Funeral and Memorial Plans
Kentucky State Police announced these arrangements, as reported by the Bowling Green Daily News on September 29, 2026:
- Vigil: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 1, at KSP Post 15 in Columbia.
- Visitation: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, October 3, at Living Hope Church.
- Funeral: 12 p.m. Sunday, October 4, at Diddle Arena, with burial afterward at Glasgow Municipal Cemetery.
Hatcher and Saddler Funeral Home in Glasgow received his body after a procession on Tuesday, September 29. Check that funeral home’s website or KSP’s official channels for any schedule changes.
How to Support the Family
The Kentucky State Police Foundation is accepting donations for the family, and KSP says all contributions go directly to them. Donations can be made through the foundation’s official website, which links to PayPal and Zeffy. Checks can be mailed to the Kentucky State Police Foundation in Frankfort, with “Tpr. Hayden Phillips” on the memo line. Use only the foundation’s own website, since fake fundraisers often appear after high-profile deaths.
Other Hayden Phillips Obituaries
The same name appears in unrelated obituaries. Sir Hayden Phillips, a retired British civil servant, died on April 10, 2026, at age 83, according to Wikipedia. Hayden Carl Phillips, 84, of Franklin, Arkansas, died on September 14, 2024. Neither is connected to the Kentucky trooper.
Quick Table
| Full Name | Hayden Phillips |
|---|---|
| Age | 28 (per LEX18 and the Bowling Green Daily News); 27 per Officer Down Memorial Page |
| Date of Death | Monday, September 28, 2026 |
| Location | Interstate 65, Warren County, Kentucky |
| Occupation | Kentucky State Police trooper, Post 3 (Bowling Green), badge 369 |
| Years of Service | 3 with KSP; earlier Glasgow and Russell Springs police |
| Survivors | Wife Jordan, three sons, parents and a sister |
| Accused | Emonnie Branch, 51, charged with murder of a first responder; preliminary hearing set for October 2 |
| Funeral | 12 p.m. Sunday, October 4, 2026, Diddle Arena; burial at Glasgow Municipal Cemetery |
Reader Questions
Who was Hayden Phillips?
He was a three-year Kentucky State Police trooper assigned to Post 3 in Bowling Green. He was killed in the line of duty on September 28, 2026.
How did Trooper Hayden Phillips die?
He was shot during a traffic stop on northbound I-65 in Warren County, according to Kentucky State Police and the Bowling Green Daily News. The case is before the courts.
Who is charged in his death?
Emonnie Branch, 51, of Portland, Tennessee, is charged with murder of a first responder. He is presumed innocent, and a preliminary hearing was set for October 2.
How old was Hayden Phillips?
Most reports say 28. LEX18 said he would have turned 29 on September 30, 2026, while the Officer Down Memorial Page lists 27.
When is Trooper Phillips’ funeral?
The funeral is at 12 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at Diddle Arena, with burial at Glasgow Municipal Cemetery. Visitation is Saturday, October 3, at Living Hope Church.
Did Hayden Phillips have children?
Yes. The Bowling Green Daily News says he and his wife, Jordan, had three sons.
How can I help his family?
The Kentucky State Police Foundation is collecting donations for the family through its official website. Avoid unofficial fundraisers you cannot verify.
Wrap-Up
Trooper Hayden Phillips is remembered by colleagues as a dependable officer and a family man who coached kids’ sports and loved the outdoors. The facts confirmed so far are his death on September 28, 2026, his three years of service with Kentucky State Police, and the survivors named in news reports. The court case against the accused man has only begun.
The funeral arrangements and the official donation channel come from Kentucky State Police through news reports. A funeral-home obituary may add details such as his hometown, birth date and education, which I did not find.
As of September 30, 2026, his death is confirmed by multiple news outlets, and his vigil, visitation and funeral are scheduled for October 1, 3 and 4.
Disclaimer
This article is based on news reports and public records reviewed on September 30, 2026. Details that conflict between sources are identified as such. Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
