Greene Co. jail inmate charged with killing another inmate

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - An inmate in the Greene County jail has been charged with murder.

Lorenzo Broomfield is accused of giving another inmate, Austin Larue, the drugs that killed him.

“We have a couple of cases a year. I would say less often than most,” said Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Paige Rippee.

She says while not common, contraband, such as illegal drugs or weapons, makes it into the Greene County Jail.

“There are lots of risks and consequences that go along with it if it does get introduced into our facility,” she said.

Rippee says there are protocols in place to prevent inmate smuggling.

“They’re always in shackles, hands, and feet, both. But there are always times when things get missed,” she said.

According to investigators, a jail security video captured last year shows Broomfield separating a powder substance into two small pieces of paper. He offers some to one inmate, who turns him down. The second offer is made to Larue.

“In this case with Mr. Larue, it just so happened that he was an addict. When it gets brought in, you’re tempted with it again,” said Rippee.

Later that night, a jail security video shows Larue entering the bathroom and appearing to be snorting water up his nose. The footage shows that Laure was still moving until the early morning of March 13, 2022. Court records indicate that Broomfield admitted to giving Laure what he thought was cocaine he obtained from another inmate. Authorities later determined that Broomfield knowingly gave Larue fentanyl.

The final autopsy results indicate that Laure died of a fentanyl overdose.

“They’re criminals, and they’re going to try to get away with whatever they can get away with,” said Rippee.

Broomfield is being held here on hold for U.S. Marshalls. He pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.

He could face even more time if convicted of second-degree murder for killing Larue.

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