Mannford Officer Charged With 2nd-Degree Murder In Death Of Police Chief

A Mannford police officer appeared in court on a second-degree murder charge in the death of his Chief of Police Lucky Miller. The two men were attending a conference in Pensacola Beach when Miller was killed.

Tuesday, November 12th 2019, 11:33 am

By: Dee Duren

A Mannford police officer charged with murdering his police chief appeared in court in Florida Tuesday afternoon through closed circuit TV. Michael Patrick Nealey is charged with second-degree murder in Escambia County where he and Mannford Chief of Police Lucky Miller were attending a law enforcement conference.

His next court appearance is set for December 5.

Authorities said Miller's body was found in a Hilton hotel room Sunday night, Nov. 10. An arrest report reveals more about the hours leading to Miller's death and Nealey's arrest.

Escambia County Sheriff's Office said a maintenance man found Miller's body after being called to the hotel room for a noise complaint. Two people staying in nearby rooms complained of hearing loud noises coming from the room where the two men were found, the report said.

One witness reported to deputies that he heard a "roaring" noise and a man yelling, "Stop it, Mike." The arrest report says that phrase started out loud "then grew quieter before stopping altogether."

Another person staying at the hotel said there had been loud noises coming from the room for a couple of hours, the arrest report states.

When the maintenance man arrived, deputies said he found Mike Nealey sitting on top of Miller, who was lying on the floor. The maintenance man said he pulled Nealey off Miller, the arrest report stated.

When first-responders arrived, Miller was unresponsive. His face was swollen and beaten, the deputy said.

The arrest report stated Nealey's right hand was swollen and red. He had some injuries to his nose and lip, which the deputy said happened when the maintenance man pulled him off the police chief.

According to the Associated Press, a spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff's Officer said alcohol may have been involved prior to the fight.

In court Tuesday, a judge ordered Nealey to appear at arraignment at 8:30 a.m. December 5. His bond was set at $500,000, according to WKRG News 5 in Mobile, Alabama.

News On 6 photo of Mike Nealey taken at a Mannford Police Department training:

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