PENDLETON, Ind. – The man charged in the murder of Richmond police officer Seara Burton was found dead at Pendleton Correctional Facility.
Phillip M. Lee was being held at the facility as he awaited trial in Burton’s murder. Indiana State Police said Lee was found unresponsive in his cell around 12:46 a.m. Thursday. Emergency aid was rendered, but Lee was pronounced dead.
Indiana State Police are investigating Lee’s death with assistance from the Madison County Coroner’s Office and Indiana Department of Correction.
“Toxicology results and an autopsy are pending, although no foul play is suspected,” state police said in a news release.
Lee faced multiple charges, including murder and attempted murder, after an August 2022 incident in which he shot Officer Burton and fired at other officers.
Burton and her K9 partner had been called to help with a traffic stop, where they found Lee on a moped. Burton K9 partner indicated the presence of drugs; Lee pulled out a gun and fired several rounds toward officers, police said.
Burton was hit. She spent more than a month in the hospital before succumbing to her injuries. She died on Sept. 18, 2022, and was laid to rest on Sept. 26.
Lee's trial had been delayed multiple times after being bogged down in legal maneuvering. At one point, he planned to represent himself. His trial had been scheduled for February 2025, according to court records.
On Thursday afternoon, Richmond officials held a press conference announcing plans to dedicate a bridge by renaming it the "Officer Seara Burton Memorial Bridge."
"We intend to ensure her memory lives on," said Adam Blanton, assistant chief of police for Richard Police Department.
An emotional Mayor Ronald Oler commended the efforts to honor Burton, saying it's something the city has been working toward since her death. The bridge on US 27 over Interstate 70 will even be on the side of town where Burton was from.
”Two years ago a very bad thing happened in our city and we don’t really have justice but we have something like closure. Maybe not the outcome the citizens wanted but at least there is an outcome,” Oler said.