Ronald Exantus drove from Indianapolis to Versailles, Kentucky, on Dec. 7, 2015, and entered a home through an unlocked door, investigators told WKYT-TV.
It was before dawn, and authorities told the Associated Press that Exantus grabbed a large kitchen knife he found in the home and went to an upstairs bedroom where 6-year-old Logan Tipton was sleeping.
‘I laid in bed. I gave up. I gave up on life. I gave up on my family. I gave up on everybody. I just wanted to die.’
Koral Tipton, Logan’s sister, told WDKY-TV that she “woke up, and I heard Logan screaming, and all I could see was a man, a big man, over top of him, stabbing him.”
Logan’s father, Dean Tipton, also had been sleeping but leaped into action after hearing the hollering.
“He snaps, just snaps, and stands up with me sitting on top of him, and he throws me across the room,” Dean Tipton told WDKY. “I mean, maybe 10-15 feet he throws me across the room and goes after [Koral].”
Exantus ended up attacking Dean Tipton and his two daughters that night, too, injuring all of them, WKYT reported — but little Logan didn’t make it.
Dean Tipton held his son during his final moments, WDKY said: “He was gasping for air; I was holding him deep in my arms. And finally, he took his last breath, looked at me, closed his eyes, and he was gone.”
After that night, Dean Tipton said he lost the will to live, tearfully telling WLKY that “I laid in bed. I gave up. I gave up on life. I gave up on my family. I gave up on everybody. I just wanted to die.”
In 2018, Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity but was convicted of assaulting other family members, WDKY said. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, WKYT said.
Then, as of last week, Exantus was released from prison for good behavior, WDKY reported.
Set free from behind bars 13 years early.
As you likely would conclude, the Tipton family was furious upon hearing the news.
“He did it. He did it in front of me. He did it in front of my siblings,” Koral Tipton told WKYT. “And being an older sister, who has the obligation anyway to protect her younger siblings, it’s just, he ruined, he messed us up.”
Dean Tipton told WDKY that Extanus said “he was going to kill every one of us. So now, I’ve got to be on extra guard to protect my kids because I will not lose another one, not like this.”
And as you also could likely imagine, Logan’s dad issued a chilling promise if he ever runs into Extanus again.
“I’ve had my talks with God ’cause I’m not afraid to tell you all, I told the court — if I ever cross paths with him, I will kill the man,” he told WLKY on the station’s video report. “I will kill him where he stands.”
According to WKYT, the Kentucky Justice Cabinet released the following statement in regard to Exantus’ release:
The Parole Board did not release Ronald Exantus on parole. Exantus was reviewed for parole on 09/30/2025, as required by state law. The Parole Board issued a decision that Exantus stay in prison for the remainder of his sentence.
Despite this decision, a provision in Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision (KRS 439.3406).
Exantus will remain under probation and parole supervision until his sentence ends next year, WLKY said, adding that he will serve his mandatory re-entry supervision in Florida.
In addition, the White House confirmed an investigation into Exantus’ release: “It’s wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X Saturday morning.
Logan’s mom, Heather Tipton, added to WDKY that she also made a vow.
“I made myself promise I wasn’t going to let this tear us apart, because statistically, Dean and I should be divorced, or our family should have just broken apart at the seams statistically,” she told the station. “And I made a promise that that wasn’t going to happen, and I’m not going to let it happen.”
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Fatal stabbing, Kentucky, Versailles, Father, Son fatally stabbed, Killer released early from prison, Vow to kill, Ronald exantus, Tipton family, Dean tipton, Logan tipton, Crime
