April 29, 2021
A former small town Oklahoma police detective was sentenced Thursday afternoon to life in prison for killing his police chief during a law enforcement conference on Pensacola Beach in 2019.
Michael Patrick Nealey, 50, was found guilty of second degree murder for the death of Mannford Police Chief Lucky Miller.
It took a jury about two hours Wednesday to return the guilty verdict. Nealey will be sentenced on April 29.
Prosecutors said the murder was the result of an alcohol-fueled night. Prosecutors say the medical examiner determined Miller was beaten and strangled or suffocated to death.
Images courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
During Nealey s trial, forensic pathologist Dr. Aurelian Nicolaescu testified that Miller suffered about five blunt-force traumatic injuries to his head before his death.
The pathologist said Miller s body showed signs of strangulation and smothering with discoloration of the face, bleeding of the eyes and injured neck muscles.
Nealey s wife, Lisa Nealey, spoke in support of her husband at Thursday s sentencing hearing and asked Circuit Court Judge Thomas Dannheisser for leniency. Mike would never intentionally hurt someone. I ve lived with him for 21 years, I know this, she said, before adding, Please have leniency and mercy upon us.
However, Miller s father, Johnny Miller, asked the judge for the harshest possible punishment for second-degree murder under Florida law, which is life in prison.
April 1, 2021
A former small town Oklahoma police detective has been convicted in Escambia County of killing his police chief during a law enforcement conference on Pensacola Beach in 2019.
Michael Patrick Nealey, 50, was found guilty of second degree murder for the death of Mannford Police Chief Lucky Miller.
It took a jury about two hours Wednesday to return the guilty verdict. Nealey will be sentenced on April 29.
Prosecutors said the murder was the result of an alcohol-fueled night. Prosecutors say the medical examiner determined Miller was beaten and strangled or suffocated to death.
Images courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former Oklahoma cop found guilty of murdering his police chief KATE FELDMAN
A former Oklahoma police officer who was found on top of his dead chief has been found guilty of his murder.
Michael Nealey, 50, was found guilty Wednesday of the second-degree murder of Mannford Chief of Police Lucky Miller, according to the Pensacola News Journal.
On Nov. 10, 2019, a security guard at the Hilton Pensacola Beach hotel went into their hotel room after multiple noise complaints and found Nealey sitting on top of Miller’s chest. Miller, who was unconscious, was later declared dead.
Multiple witnesses testified to hearing cries for help from the two-bed room.