The investigation is ongoing by Kentucky State Police Detective Jeff Kelley.
Catlettsburg, Kentucky – (December 21, 2018) The Kentucky State Police, Ashland Post was originally called on Thursday, November 29, 2018, regarding an unresponsive inmate at the Boyd County Jail. Detectives arrived on-scene and it was reported to them that Michael L. Moore, age 40, was found deceased in the facility’s restraint-chair. An investigation was initiated and an autopsy was performed at the Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort, where criminal activity could not be ruled out as a contributing factor.
During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that Michael Moore was highly intoxicated upon arrival at the Boyd County Jail, which led to his confinement in the restraint-chair, and rendered him mentally and physically helpless. The investigation further revealed that, while incarcerated, five Boyd County Jail deputies intentionally abused Moore, or knowingly permitted his abuse, and that the mistreatment caused Moore’s death.
Investigators interviewed all five deputies, as well as other staff members of the Boyd County Jail, and information was obtained which led to the case being presented to the Boyd County Grand Jury, where indictments for Manslaughter 1st Degree were issued on Friday December 21, 2018. The following arrests were made reference the indictments:
Zackary Messer of Ashland, Kentucky – Manslaughter 1st Degree.
Brad Roberts of Westwood, Kentucky – Manslaughter 1st Degree.
Colton Griffith of Flatwoods, Kentucky – Manslaughter 1st Degree.
Jeremy Mattox of Grayson, Kentucky – Manslaughter 1st Degree.
All were taken into custody without incident, and are being housed at various detention centers within the Commonwealth. One indictment was not served due to investigators being unable to locate the fifth deputy jailer, Alicia Beller of Putnam, West Virginia. If you have information of her whereabouts, please contact KSP Post 14 at (606) 928-6421.
The investigation is ongoing by Kentucky State Police Detective Jeff Kelley.