Sheffield Man Indicted For Murder In Fentanyl Death Of Lauderdale County Inmate

by Roger Murphy
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Russell Lyn Reathford

FLORENCE-An inmate at the Lauderdale County Detention Center has been charged with murder of a fellow inmate.

A grand jury indited Russell Lyn Reathford, 27 of Sheffield on felony murder charges, drug charges and promoting prison contraband.

A state toxicology report was introduced as evident to the grand jury.  Reathford allegedly supplied fentanyl to inmate Harley James Coyer which caused his death on Valentine’s Day of this year.

Deputies found Coyer, 37 unresponsive in his cell around 7:00PM on February 14 after other inmates in the jail alerted deputies to his condition.  Life-saving measured were performed but to no avail Coyer was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Deputies searched the cell after Coyer’s death but found no drugs.  There was another inmate who was transported to the hospital after showing some health issues and has since recovered this inmate’s name has not been released.

According to Sheriff Hamilton no drugs were found in the cell or on Reathford.  It is believed the drugs were smuggled into the jail by Retherford although all protocols were followed by the jail stall.

Reathford remains in the Lauderdale County Detention Center at this time with no bond.

Reathford will be arraigned on April 28.

 

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