After gathering evidence for nearly one month, the Bourbon County Sheriff's Department has not been able to make an arrest in a case which resulted in the violent beating of Frank Hereford, 85, Fort Scott.

According to officials at the sheriff's office, the delay in the investigation is partially due to heavy case loads faced by the Kansas Bureau of Investigations. KBI's involvement with the case is said by Bourbon County Undersheriff and Sheriff Elect Ron Gray, to be due to the extent of Hereford's injuries and other variables in the case.

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On Oct. 18, officials were dispatched to a reported altercation of which the specifics are still not completely clear. The incident took place at the residence of Hereford.

During the fight, Hereford reportedly received extensive injuries including fractures and breaks to every bone from his nose to his left ear, according to doctor's reports. Even his dentures which were inside his mouth were broken, according to a previous report in The Fort Scott Tribune.

Hereford was transported to Mercy Health Center after the fight, but was later life-flighted to Overland Park Regional Medical Center due to the extent of his injuries. At 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, Hereford was removed from a ventilator which was previously keeping him alive.

Since then, Hereford's condition has continued to improve, according to doctor and family member reports.

All evidence which was collected for the investigation has been sent to the KBI crime lab in Topeka, according to Gray. The local law enforcement office is currently waiting on the results from the crime lab. Waiting for the evidence to be processed is the most lengthy part of the investigation, Gray added.

"It's a slow process," he said. "It could be months depending on what other cases the lab has to process."

Gray explained since the crime lab serves the entire state of Kansas, it must prioritize the evidence it processes first. Typically, homicide investigations receive first priority, Gray said.

Although everyone involved in the incident has been questioned and evidence has been gathered, Gray said the Sheriff's Department is not naming anyone as a suspect at this time.

Time delays however, are not Becky Canaday's reason for complaint regarding the investigation of her father's assault. Canaday came forward immediately after Hereford received his injuries attacking the way Bourbon County Sheriff's Deputy Cindy Gillispie handled the incident.

Canaday claimed in a past interview that Gillispie -- the first officer to work the case -- did nothing to investigate the incident. It was not until Canaday contacted a local attorney, that any investigation into her father's beating began, she said. Canaday continues to claim the investigation was not handled correctly.

"There was blood in the driveway and she (Gillispie) did nothing except lie to us," Canaday said.

Gillispie claimed that a lack of on-duty deputies was to blame for her inability to investigate the case immediately.

"Terri (Johnson) said the scene needed to be covered," Gillispie said. "I told her I couldn't do it because I was the only one on duty. She (Johnson) said call for Ron (Gray). So, I did."

About one week after the incident Bourbon County Sheriff Harold Coleman said he could not say whether an internal investigation into the incident would take place, but, that he believed it appeared as though procedure was not correctly followed in the case.

"No, it (the investigation) wasn't handled correctly or it appears that it wasn't," he said.

Monday, Coleman told The Tribune that an internal investigation into the matter had been launched. However, findings from the investigation would not likely be released to the public.

Adding to the controversy surrounding the investigation of Hereford's attack, Gillispie was a candidate for the sheriff's seat and only about 2 1/2 weeks away from the Nov. 4 election in which she faced Gray.

"The timing on this is incredibly terrible," said Coleman.

This statement was echoed by many on The Tribune's Web site as dozens of readers posted comments about the incident, both opposing and supporting Gillispie, after the original story was published.

Currently, the case is under investigation by the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office and the KBI.

Fort Scott Tribune Editor Justin Messner contributed to this report.