2 to be sentenced for role in Covington dismemberment case

COVINGTON, Ky. - Two suspects are scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday for their role in the dismemberment death of a Covington man more than a year ago.

Austin Eash and Quinton Kolenda pleaded guilty to charges of murder, tampering with evidence, theft and abuse of a corpse in the death of 57-year-old Donnell Brown. A landlord found Brown’s dismembered body at an apartment on Greenup Street in September 2011.

Tiffany Herrera — a third suspect in the case — pleaded guilty to the murder, but faces a later sentencing date.

In a previous hearing, Covington Detective Brian Fuller said 27-year-old Herrera had a relationship with Brown where at times she would perform a sexual favor in exchange for money or drugs. Fuller said that Herrera explained that Brown "became physical” a week prior to the murder and that's when she sliced his throat.

Fuller testified in October 2011 that Herrera said Brown was alive after she cut his throat, so she brought Eash and Kolenda—who was 17 at the time—to the scene and they agreed Brown needed to be “finished off or killed.”
According to Fuller, Eash admitted in his interrogation to dismembering Brown but denies any part in his killing.

The three suspects allegedly decided to dispose of Brown's body in the Ohio River, but when they couldn't find a truck to move the body, they decided to dispose of his body in pieces. They never completed that grisly task because the landlord discovered Brown's dismembered body.

Eash and Herrera are accused of pawning Brown's jewelry for cash as well.

Kolenda, although 17 at the time of the crime, is being tried as an adult. Kolenda and Eash could get life in prison.

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