Indiana Cop Killer Found Dead In Prison Cell

Officer Burton — Phillip Lee

(6-6-24) Phillip Matthew Lee (48) of Richmond, Indiana was in the Pendleton Correctional Facility awaiting his murder trial, set for February 2025. If convicted of killing Richmond police Officer Seara Burton (28) , he would have faced a possible death sentence.

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Lee was found dead early Thursday in the Pendleton Correctional Facility and was “discovered alone in his cell and unresponsive” by correctional staff about 12:45 a.m. Thursday.

Efforts were made to resuscitate him but were unsuccessful, and Lee was declared dead.

“Toxicology results and an autopsy are pending, although no foul play is suspected.”

The Madison County coroner’s office and state Department of Correction personnel assisted in the investigation.

In 2022…Officer Burton was shot in the head after being called to assist with a traffic stop on August 10th, 2022. According to state police, Lee, riding a moped when he was stopped, fired multiple shots.

Burton died in a Richmond-area hospice facility 38 days after being wounded.

In addition to murder, Lee was charged with two counts of attempted murder along with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, possession of meth, possession of cocaine and possession of a narcotic drug.