A Sumner County jury has convicted 51-year-old Kippy Lee Lynch on aggravated burglary and related charges after prosecutors said he left behind a Bible with his own name in it at the scene of a Hendersonville break-in. The January 13, 2023, burglary happened in the Island Brook subdivision while the homeowner slept, and Lynch now faces up to 27 years in prison, with sentencing set for August 7, 2026.
Sumner County District Attorney General Thomas Dean announced that Lynch was found guilty of aggravated burglary, burglary, theft, attempt to commit burglary, DUI and simple possession of cocaine, according to WSMV. Prosecutors told jurors that Lynch and a co-defendant allegedly used cocaine before entering the home and loading multiple backpacks with the homeowner’s belongings. Authorities said the pair also took a handgun from the victim’s vehicle during the crime.
Backpack and Bible Tie Lynch to Hendersonville Break-In
Investigators later recovered items the suspects dropped while running from the scene, including a backpack packed with the victim’s property and a Bible inscribed with Lynch’s name, a detail prosecutors leaned on heavily during trial, according to Sumner County Source. The stolen items and the personalized Bible were presented as key pieces of evidence linking Lynch to the January 2023 burglary.
Next-Day Arrest and Alleged Drug Use
The morning after the break-in, deputies spotted Lynch behind the wheel of a vehicle about to turn onto New Shackle Island Road and said he appeared to be under the influence of multiple substances, including cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and valium, the district attorney wrote in a post cited by WSMV. Lynch has remained in the Sumner County jail since his arrest and is set to return to criminal court for sentencing this summer.
How Burglaries Stack Up in Hendersonville
By broader crime metrics, Hendersonville and Sumner County see burglary and property crime at rates below national averages, according to FBI-derived figures compiled by Crime Explorer. The data shows burglary makes up a smaller share of overall local crime than it does across the country, although property incidents, especially vehicle burglaries, still draw regular attention from law enforcement.
Sentencing and What Comes Next
Judge Dee David Gay is scheduled to sentence Lynch on August 7, 2026, and the district attorney’s office says he could receive as much as 27 years in prison, per Sumner County Source. Prosecutors have publicly thanked the victim, investigators and forensic teams who assisted in building the case.
