On November 18, 2015, 59-year-old Calvin Phillips was found shot to death in his Pembroke, Kentucky, home and the bodies of his wife Pamela Phillips, 57, and their neighbor Edward Dansereau were found a few miles away in Pamela’s burned-out car. Both had been shot prior to the vehicle being set on fire, WKDZ reported.
A statement from the family of the victims read, “Nov. 18, 2015, Cal Phillips, Pam Phillips and Ed Dansereau were brutally extinguished – beyond recognition from family. Every day, we are haunted by what was done to them and haunted further that someone was still free to do as they wish, beyond the civility of mankind or laws of our nation.”
After going unsolved for several years, a neighbor of the three victims, Christian “Kit” Martin, was arrested and charged with the triple homicide.
Calvin Phillips Was Found Shot to Death in the Basement of His Home & Pamela Phillips & Dansereau Were Found in Pamela’s Burned Out Car
Court documents from the grand jury testimony revealed that authorities found Pamela Phillips’ car just outside Pembroke. It had been set on fire and the remains of two individuals were found inside. The identities of the two people were confirmed through DNA. After learning the car was registered to Pamela and Calvin Phillips, authorities went to the Phillips residence and that’s when Calvin’s body was found, court documents show.
During Martin’s trial, the medical examiner testified that Calvin Phillips died of multiple gunshot wounds. His body was found in his home’s basement in the cellar, with the cellar doors shut and hidden by a dog bed, CourtTV wrote during the trial.
A forensic pathologist testified that both Pamela Phillips and Dansereau died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. One of Pamela’s friends said she was on the phone with her when she heard a “startled scream” and decided to check on her, CourtTV reported from the trial. She found no sign of Pamela at the home but saw her car had been moved.
Edward Dansereau Was a Popular Local Musician & Pamela & Calvin Phillips Were Remembered for Their Vibrant Presence
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An obituary for Calvin and Pamela Phillips described the couple as “loving parents, active citizens and extremely important to those who knew them dearly and had the privilege to call them family or friends.” It stated, “Cal filled his time on earth with a zest for life and laughter. He traveled the world both in the military as well as a private citizen, having seen numerous continents, countries and people all over the US and the world. Never ceasing to be amazed at nature, god’s beauty or simple things that make the world great.”
Pamela Phillips “made the most of her time as a mother, coworker and citizen,” it continued. “She spent a near decade devoting her time as a stay at home mom, then reentered the workforce with vigor. She was active in the community and often spent with her free time to better those who are in need.”
Edward Dansereau was a well-known local musician who would play piano and who was “a fixture in the music scene in and around Bowling Green,” the Bowling Green Daily News wrote. He was also a music teacher who was very involved in the community and many musicians and students organized an event to honor his life.
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