Friend of alleged Kentucky killer indicted, too
HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. - A western Kentucky woman who is a longtime friend of a man accused of killing four people - including his parents and sister - has been indicted in connection with the killings.
Ann Plotkin, 41, of Hopkinsville was arrested Wednesday after a grand jury indicted her on charges of complicity to commit capital murder and resisting arrest.
Plotkin spoke to 48 Hours' Crimesider in the days after last year's Oct. 26 murders and the subsequent Oct. 31 arrest of her friend, Ryan Champion.
Champion, 36, has pleaded not guilty to murder, complicity to murder and complicity to kidnapping in the deaths of his parents, sister and a 22-year-old man, Vito Riservato. Prosecutors have said they believe Champion enlisted help from Riservato in killing his family in the family's Cadiz home and then killed Riservato.
In the days after the killings, prior to his arrest, Champion appeared on CBS affiliate WTVF and pinned the crime on Riservato, saying Riservato tied up him and his sister and held them at gunpoint. Champion said his parents returned home during the attack and that he was the sole survivor.
The indictment issued against Plotkin Wednesday alleges she "did aid, counsel or attempt to aid" Champion and Riservato "in planning or committing" the shooting deaths of Champion's father, 62-year-old Boyd Champion; his mother, 60-year-old Joy Champion; and his 31-year-old sister, Emily Champion.
In a Nov. 5 interview with 48 Hours' Crimesider, Plotkin called the accusations against Ryan Champion, whom she referred to as her best friend, "complete and total B.S."
Instead, she pointed the finger at Riservato, whom she described as a violent, mentally ill ex-boyfriend of her daughter. She said she introduced Riservato to Ryan Champion in the weeks before the killings, and that Champion ended up hiring Riservato to work with him on a tiling job since Riservato was in need of money.
"That was just the way Ryan was. If he knew it would benefit you, he would give you his shirt off his back," Plotkin said.
She said Ryan Champion later introduced Riservato to his family and that Riservato became "obsessed" with Champion's sister, Emily. Plotkin said Champion ended up firing Riservato before the tiling job was completed because Riservato was "talking crazy."
Plotkin went on to say that when she later heard about the murders on TV, her "jaw hit the floor." She said she immediately thought that Riservato was responsible for the killings and that Ryan Champion shot and killed Riservato in self-defense.
Plotkin told Crimesider she tried to relay this information to police, but they didn't listen.
Trooper Jay Thomas with the Kentucky State Police wouldn't comment on specific evidence tying Plotkin to the crime, but said authorities conducted numerous interviews and executed several social media search warrants as part of their investigation.
"[Plotkin] was interviewed early on in our investigation and as we sifted through some of our evidence, we were able to implicate her in the murders," Thomas said.
The trooper went on to say that while authorities don't believe Plotkin was in the Cadiz, Ky., home when the killings took place, they do believe she had knowledge of the crime and failed to report it. He said the charges Plotkin face carry the same penalty as if she had pulled the trigger.
Authorities will not comment on a potential motive in the case.
Plotkin is scheduled to be arraigned Friday.
