Shelby Dwight Stacy Justice, who was recently convicted of felony child abuse in the 2009 death of his 2-year-old stepson Jeremiah Swafford, was found dead this morning in his cell at the Cleveland County Detention Center, the Charlotte Observer reported.
The State Bureau of Investigation has been asked to investigate, but it appears Justice, 45, died of natural causes, said the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney Rick Shaffer.
Justice was awaiting sentencing on the Jan. 30 felony child abuse conviction. He was also charged with first-degree murder, but a Cleveland County jury found him not guilty.
A medical examiner testified that Jeremiah died Feb. 14, 2009, from blunt-force trauma to his head.
Justice's wife, Kathy Lynn Swafford, was also charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse in Jeremiah's death. She will be tried on March 12 in Lincolnton.
The Sheriff's Office said detention officers were making their rounds around 5:15 a.m. today when Justice's cellmate alerted authorities that they might want to check on Justice because he hadn't been snoring as usual. A detention officer checked Justice and found he did not have a pulse.
EMS was notified, and they pronounced Justice dead.
Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/02/07/2992348/report-dwight-justice-dies-in.html#storylink=cpy
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