A dentist in Kentucky who is accused of helping his son cover up the 2023 murder of a 38-year-old woman was freed from house arrest and is expected to stand trial next year, according to multiple stories published on June 5.
Dr. Michael K. McKinney II -- a dentist who was charged with eight counts of complicity to tampering with evidence in connection with the murder of Amber Spradlin -- was on house arrest for 20 months before he was freed.
Dr. Michael K. McKinney II. Floyd County Smiles.
McKinney, along with his son Michael “M.K.” McKinney III, who is charged with murder, and Josh Mullins, who is accused of tampering with evidence, head to trial in January 2027, according to the news stories.
Spradlin’s family did not oppose his release and signaled that they do not want McKinney to receive credit for time served should he be sentenced later. Despite being released, McKinney is required to uphold all financial conditions and is subject to random drug tests, according to the articles.
In July 2024, Michael "M.K." McKinney III was charged with murder and eight counts of complicity to tampering with evidence. McKinney II, along with Mullins, was arrested and accused with M.K. McKinney III of engaging in a "complicated scheme" to conceal the handle of the knife used to slay Spradlin, destroying M.K. McKinney III's clothing and cleaning up the woman's blood in the sink and laundry room of the dentist's house. Also, Mullins is charged with eight counts of complicity in tampering with evidence.
Additionally, the men allegedly destroyed a surveillance camera that would have captured the murder and a video recorder with footage from the surveillance cameras, as well as the hard drive of the only computer in the home that would have had information about the cameras.
On June 17, 2023, Spradlin finished her shift at a restaurant owned by the elder McKinney and then allegedly left with the dentist and another man and headed to an inn. Eventually, they arrived at the dentist's home. On June 18, 2023, 911 was called to the home, where authorities found that Spradlin had been stabbed 11 times in the head, neck, and throat.
In September 2024, the Kentucky Board of Dentistry lifted the temporary dental license suspension of the eldest McKinney. One month earlier, McKinney II was granted permission to help train another dentist to keep his practice, Floyd County Smiles, from going out of business, but he was prohibited from providing any dental care himself.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
