An updated autopsy report revealed that the holding conditions of 74-year-old Elijah Lester Isbill, who died in Monroe County Justice Center custody on February 7, 2025, contributed to his death. Isbill, a retired preacher with a history of medical conditions including dementia, was arrested for disorderly conduct on February 6, 2025, after becoming disoriented at a Madisonville business.

Despite his family’s pleas for medical attention, he was taken to jail, where he was restrained in a chair and hooded for over nine hours. Security footage showed him in distress, and he became unresponsive, later pronounced dead at Blount Memorial Hospital.

The initial autopsy cited natural causes, primarily cardiac arrhythmia, but the updated report, prompted by attorney Tyler Weiss, indicated that the restraint conditions exacerbated his condition. Isbill’s family, led by his daughter Windy Duncan, is pursuing legal action, alleging neglect and inhumane treatment, while the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office denies abuse claims, asserting no injuries occurred in custody.