BANNER - The father of a man who was shot in March after entering a mobile home at Luv Mobile Home Sales in Ivel has filed a formal complaint against the detective heading the case.

Ronnie L. Dillion, of Banner, mailed a formal complaint against Kentucky State Police Det. Stewart Howard on June 17 to the KSP's Internal Affairs Section. He alleges that Howard is not sufficiently investigating the death of his son.

Dillion's son, Ronald C. "Tom" Dillion, was shot after he entered the mobile home, where former Luv Mobile Home sales manager Michael Kirk was waiting with a 9 mm handgun.

Kirk, who has filed a wrongful termination suit against the company, told officials that he shot Dillion, who was allegedly breaking in to burglarize the trailer, in self-defense.

No charges have been filed against Kirk.

In the complaint, Dillion "strongly" disagrees with official accusations that his son was committing a burglary at the time of the shooting. Even if he entered with intentions to commit a crime, Dillion believes his son, according to state law, had not committed a crime after he was in the empty trailer.

Relying on a statement allegedly made to Dillion by Det. Howard, Dillion says Kirk's version of the events that transpired the night his son was shot "just don't add up" because Kirk phoned 911 and told them that he had a burglar lying on the floor and then called back approximately three minutes later to report that he had shot the man. Statements Kirk made in the lawsuit, Dillion also alleges, are inconsistent.

Dillion said he discussed the shooting with Floyd County Coroner Roger Nelson and that Nelson said that Tom Dillion was not advancing toward Kirk, as noted in the civil suit.

"The coroner stated that he had positive proof and confirmed by the pathology report that my son was not advancing toward Kirk and all the indications were that he was trying to get away from Kirk," Dillion wrote.

When questioned about the statement Friday, Nelson said, "It was never discussed in that manner. I am not at liberty at this point to discuss this with Mr. Dillion or any other public entity until it is handed over to the grand jury. After that, I'd be glad to sit down and talk with him, the whole family, if need be."

Nelson said all of his reports regarding the shooting are now complete and that he will contact Commonwealth's Attorney Brent Turner next week to see when he's ready to review them.

In the complaint, Dillion, a former KSP trooper, claims that Howard has not returned at least 10 of his e-mails and several phone calls he's made pertaining to the investigation.

"I've spoken to the commonwealth's attorney and the coroner several times and they have advised me that Det. Howard hasn't even called them about this case," Dillion wrote. "A reasonable person would know that this case is not being investigated. There has never been a KSP unit come to notify any of my son's family of his death. A complete stranger came to my house to inform me that my son had been shot and killed.

"I'll be the first person to admit that my son was no angel. He has had some minor charges on his record, but never any violence. He has never been a violent person. He certainly didn't deserve to be murdered and to let the man that murdered him walk free because a state police detective didn't like him or just don't want to do his job or whatever the reason is."

The complaint was written about a week after family and friends of "Tom" Dillion gathered in protest on the Justice Center steps in Prestonsburg.

Attempts to contact Det. Howard regarding the accusations were unsuccessful Friday.