Accused of killing three police officers was found dead in a cell in a pre-trial detention center.

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky. A Kentuckian man accused of killing three law enforcement officers during an ambush in a small Appalachian town has been found dead in his prison cell.

Lance Stortz, 50, was found dead of an apparent suicide Tuesday morning at the Pike County Detention Center where he was being held on charges of three murders, Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt said Tuesday.

The sheriff’s office said that on June 30, Storz opened fire on the officers with a powerful rifle when they arrived at his home to issue a protection order. Hunt described the scene as a “war zone” during hours of standoff before Storz surrendered.

The shooting became one of the deadliest to law enforcement officers in Kentucky history. Officials said this was the highest number of law enforcement deaths in a single incident since the 1923 prison riot killed three officers.

Hunt said Pike County police are investigating the cause of Stortz’s death.

One of Hunt’s deputies, William Petrie, was killed when Storz opened fire on the officers without warning. Prestonsburg police captain Ralph Frazur was also killed, and Prestonsburg officer Jacob Chaffins died the next day from gunshot wounds. Four more officers were wounded.

Hunt said one of his deputies, injured in the shooting, would never see Stortz stand trial.

“I have a deputy who is wounded for life, and I’m sure he wanted a chance to look this guy in the eye in court, and he was duped,” Hunt said.

According to the sheriff’s office, police went to the house in the Allen area after a family member said that Storz’s wife had been abused and held in the house against her will. The wife was waiting for the officers when they arrived, telling them that Storz was asleep so she was able to go outside. Four officers, including Petri, returned to serve out a protection order against Storz. Hunt said that Storz watched them approach from the window and started firing.

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