Two separate death investigations, by Indiana State Police detectives, resulted in two inmates from the Miami Correctional Facility being charged with murder.

On May 19, 2019, Indiana State Police Detective Michelle Jumper initiated an investigation, at the request of the Miami Correctional Facility, into the death of prison inmate Richard Carrell, 56.

Carrell was found deceased in his C Unit cell by a correctional officer. A subsequent autopsy revealed that Carrell’s cause of the death was asphyxia by strangulation. The manner of death was homicide. During the course of the investigation, probable cause was developed for a Miami Superior Court I arrest warrant to be issued for prison inmate Michael Parrish, 42. The warrant alleged a single charge of murder.

Parrish was Carrell’s cellmate.

On June 10, 2019, Indiana State Police Detectives initiated an investigation, at the request of the Miami Correctional Facility, into the death of prison inmate Lannie Morgan, 70. Morgan was found by correctional staff not breathing in his cell. Despite life saving measures, Morgan died at Dukes Memorial Hospital in Peru.

A subsequent autopsy revealed that Morgan’s cause of the death was asphyxia due to smothering/occlusion of the nasal/oral cavities. The manner of death was homicide. During the course of the investigation, probable cause was developed for a Miami Superior Court I arrest warrant to be issued for prison inmate Phillip Sadler, 53. The warrant alleged a single charge for murder. Sadler also resided in the I Unit cell house, but he was not Morgan’s roommate.

Detectives were assisted in both investigations by staff members from the Miami Correctional Facility.