Woman Facing Multiple Drug and Gun Charges in Nashville and 2nd Degree Murder Count in Kentucky

A local woman suspected of dealing a deadly mixture of narcotics from a Stewarts Ferry Pike motel room that killed Baylee McClanahan, 21, in Warren County, Kentucky, is now jailed in Nashville on multiple felony drug and gun charges with extradition to Kentucky pending in relation to a second-degree murder count.

The investigation that led to the identification of Hannah Forkum, 21, as a suspected dangerous narcotics dealer began with Tuesday’s overdose death of McClanahan, of Lebanon, who was in Kentucky visiting a friend. The Bowling Green-Warren County, Kentucky High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force developed information that the narcotics that killed McClanahan were sold to her by a woman staying at the Motel 6 on Stewarts Ferry Pike. Working in conjunction with Kentucky authorities, detectives assigned to the MNPD’s Neighborhood Safety Unit, which investigates drug overdoses and the trafficking of fentanyl, arranged for an undercover drug buy Wednesday in the motel parking lot. At the appointed time, Forkum emerged from one of the rooms, walked to the parking lot, and was taken into custody. She was carrying 25 grams of fentanyl, 27 grams of meth laced with fentanyl, and 7 grams of black tar heroin.

The subsequent execution of a search warrant at Forkum’s motel room led to the discovery of a .25 caliber pistol, multiple plastic bags used for packaging narcotics, and several sets of digital scales. Three men in the hotel room had outstanding warrants: Edwin Mendoza, 24, for failure to appear in court in Nashville; Richard Martinez, 39, wanted on four counts of failure to appear in court in Dickson County; and Taylor Johnson, 29, wanted for felony probation violations in Nashville.

Forkum is being held without bond on charges of possessing fentanyl, heroin, and meth for resale, gun possession in the commission of a dangerous felony, and being a fugitive from justice from Kentucky. Kentucky authorities obtained a second-degree murder warrant against her Wednesday after learning that McClanahan made a drug purchase, allegedly from Forkum, 24 hours before she died.