A real estate showing in rural Kentucky turned violent when a 71-year-old man attacked an agent, forced him to draft a property contract under threat of death, and locked him inside a home before the victim escaped bloodied and bruised. The case, which unfolded last summer near a lakeside property, ended Friday with a lengthy prison sentence and strict post-release conditions.
FALLS OF ROUGH, KY – Keith Rowe pleaded guilty Friday to robbery, unlawful imprisonment, terroristic threatening, and assault in connection with the June 18, 2025, attack on a real estate agent during a home showing. A judge sentenced Rowe to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of probation and six months of home incarceration upon release.
According to the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began during a showing of a lake house listed for $225,000 in the unincorporated community roughly 95 miles southwest of Louisville. During the visit, Rowe attacked the agent, locked him inside, and demanded he “write up the contract and sign the home over to him,” while threatening to kill him if he refused.
Violence and threats escalate during showing
Authorities said Rowe told the victim the home was intended for his niece and demanded the agent’s phone, warning he would “beat his brains in” if he did not comply. After taking the phone, Rowe forced the agent to accompany him across the street to the agent’s own home to access a computer needed to draft the contract.
During the walk, Rowe allegedly warned the victim not to attempt escape, saying he would “tie a rope around his neck and drag him with his 4-wheeler,” while pointing to a rope attached to the vehicle.
Inside the second home, the agent began typing the contract as instructed. Investigators said Rowe then pulled out a pocketknife and told the victim he would be killed once the paperwork was complete.
Escape and arrest
After finishing the contract, the agent handed it to Rowe, who began reviewing it at a kitchen table. Seizing the moment, the victim moved toward the front door and fled, later telling authorities he feared he would be killed if he remained inside any longer.
The agent drove directly to the sheriff’s office, arriving with visible injuries. Officials said Rowe was later located by family members that same evening and turned himself in. Authorities noted that Rowe largely agreed with the sequence of events described by the victim.
Grayson County Sheriff Norman Chaffins confirmed additional restrictions tied to the sentence. “Rowe is not to step foot in Grayson County and have no contact or communication with the victim in this case unless it is ordered by the court,” Chaffins said.
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