PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Lance Storz, the man who was arrested and charged with the murder of three police officers and a K9 officer in Allen on June 30, is dead.
Pike County Coroner Kevin Hall confirmed Storz’s death late Tuesday morning.
Hall told Mountain Top News he received the call that Storz was in the Pikeville Medical Center emergency room around 7:30 a.m. Hall says the suspected cause of death is asphyxiation by hanging, but Storz’s body is being sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.
Storz, 50, was found hanging in the Pike County Detention Center, where he was being kept prisoner, early Tuesday morning. He was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 8 a.m.
The jail has not commented on the incident, but Storz is no longer listed as an inmate as of 7:30 a.m., Tuesday.
Pikeville Police Department is expected to issue a statement about the death later in the day.
Storz was arrested late on the night of June 30, after holding police at bay in an armed standoff for several hours.
Police had been going to Storz’s home in Allen in connection with a domestic violence investigation when he opened fire on officers as they approached.
Killed in the ambush were Floyd County Sheriff’s Deputy William Petry, Prestonsburg Police Captain Ralph Frasure, Prestonsburg Police officer and K9 handler Jacob Chaffins, and Floyd County Sheriff’s K9 Drago.
Mountain Top News expects to learn more about Storz’s death later today and will bring all of the details as soon as possible.
