Lester Isbill
Lester Isbill, 74, was a retired preacher from Tellico Plains, and his daughter, Windy Duncan, said he was a pillar of his community who would help anyone who needed it. In February 2025 he was held at the Monroe County Jail in Madisonville, Tennessee, where he was placed in a restraint chair, and he later died at a hospital. His original autopsy attributed the death to a heart arrhythmia, but an amended report by the Knox County Regional Forensic Center classified it as a homicide, citing dehydration and restraint as contributing factors. Five jail staff and two nurses were indicted, though prosecutors have since said they will drop that case and present it again to a grand jury. The sheriff's office disputes the homicide finding and says the restraint was approved.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). The amended autopsy ruled the death a homicide from dehydration and constant restraint in a restraint chair, and a grand jury indicted five jail staff and two nurses, while the sheriff disputes the homicide finding and the family disputes the sheriff's account.
Reported by: Knox County Regional Forensic Center (medical examiner or coroner); Monroe County medical examiner (medical examiner or coroner); Monroe County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Monroe County DA Stephen Hatchett (outside investigators); grand jury; his daughter.
News reports (5)
- Monroe County Sheriff denies alleged abuse of 74-year-old preacher while in custody
- Five officers suspended after updated autopsy says holding conditions contributed to Monroe County in-custody death
- 5 Monroe Co. deputies, 2 nurses indicted after preacher's in-custody death ruled homicide
- UPDATE: Jail staff, nurses indicted in death of retired preacher restrained for hours in chair
- DA to withdraw charges, re-present case to grand jury in Monroe County Jail death