HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WANE) — Four people have been arrested on drug related charges following an investigation into the death of an inmate at the Huntington County Jail.
Nicholas Parks, 42, of Bunker Hill was found unresponsive at around 3 a.m. on October 22 after another inmate alerted jail staff that Parks might be experiencing some sort of medical condition according to Indiana State Police. Efforts to revive Parks were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead by the Huntington County Coroner.
At the time, Indiana State Police detectives noted there didn’t appear to be signs of a struggle or physical altercation, however Parks had a history of medical problems.
On Wednesday, Indiana State Police notified the media that three inmates at the jail are now facing charges for their alleged involvement in Parks’ death.
The investigation also led investigators to obtain a search warrant on October 28 for a home on Garfield Street in Huntington. The warrant led to the arrest of a Huntington man.
The three inmates face the following charges:
- Michael Kelly Jr., 22, of Huntington, IN was arrested for Dealing a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, Level 1 Felony, Aiding in Dealing a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, Level 1 Felony, Trafficking, Level 5 Felony, and Dealing a Narcotic Drug, Level 5 Felony.
- Jacob Lee Landon Johnson, 40, of Huntington, IN was arrested for Dealing a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, Level 1 Felony and Aiding in Dealing a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, Level 1 Felony.
- Nicholas Ryan Shepperd, 36, of Huntington, IN was arrested for Dealing a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, Level 1 Felony and Aiding in Dealing a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, Level 1 Felony.
Duane Barnes, the man arrested following the search warrant, faces these charges:
- Dealing a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, Level 1 Felony
- Aiding in Dealing a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, Level 1 Felony
- Possession of a Narcotic Drug With the Intent to Deliver, Level 2 Felony
- Possession of Methamphetamine With the Intent to Deliver, Level 2 Felony
- Possession of Methamphetamine, Level 4 Felony
- Dealing in a Narcotic Drug, Level 3 Felony
- Aiding in Trafficking With an Inmate, Level 5 Felony
The final autopsy report and toxicology report for Parks is still pending.
