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Officer accused of killing Oklahoma police chief in Florida

Michael Patrick Nealey, 49, was arrested Monday morning and charged with killing Lucky Miller at a Hilton hotel.
 
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Check tampabay.com for the latest breaking news and updates. [ Tampa Bay Times ]
Published Nov. 11, 2019|Updated Nov. 11, 2019

PENSACOLA (AP) — An Oklahoma police chief was slain in a Florida hotel room and one of his officers is accused of killing him, investigators said Monday.

Michael Patrick Nealey, 49, was arrested Monday morning and charged with killing Lucky Miller, Escambia County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Melony Peterson told the Pensacola News Journal.

Miller was the police chief in Mannford, Oklahoma. Deputies went to the Hilton hotel on Pensacola Beach Sunday night and found him dead.

Peterson said Miller and Nealey were in Pensacola to attend a conference. She says detectives were still gathering information.

Nealey was being held without bail at the Escambia County Jail. He’s charged with homicide. No additional details were immediately available.

A lawyer for Nealey isn't listed on jail records.

Mannford is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Tulsa and has a population of about 3,200 people. A statement from the town government says Miller, 44, had been police chief since 2007. He and his wife had three children.

"We are heartbroken by the news," Mayor Tyler Buttram said in the statement. "Please keep both families in your prayers as we work to move forward."

The town administrator has appointed an interim police chief.