The husband of an inmate who died in the Boone County Jail last year filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court Wednesday.
Grant Davis filed the lawsuit in connection to the April 2025 death of his husband, Robert Muller-Russo. Defendants in the case are accused of failing to monitor and deliberately disregarding Muller-Russo's medical needs, which led to his suffering and eventual death.
The court filings accuse three parties in the case, registered nurse Melissa Hooks, her employer Turn Key Health Clinics and an unnamed member of the Boone County Jail's medical staff. Turn Key was contracted to provide medical services to inmates at the Boone County Jail, according to court documents.
According to previous KOMU 8 reporting, Muller-Russo was in being held in the jail on suspicion of assault, violation of a protection order and resisting arrest.
Muller-Russo reported having issues with his heart on April 17, 2025, 10 days after he was incarcerated at the Boone County Jail, according to court filings. Within the next hour, inmates later reported Muller-Russo was having a possible seizure. In both instances, staff at the jail determined there was nothing wrong with Muller-Russo, according to the lawsuit.
An inmate later told jail staff that Muller-Russo could no longer use his legs, prompting jail staff to place Muller-Russo in a wheelchair, according to the lawsuit.
Five days later, on April 22, Muller-Russo was seen laying on the floor of his cell, unable to speak and unable to see out of one of his eyes, according to court filings.
Muller-Russo was then examined by Hooks, who determined he could see out of his eyes, according to the lawsuit. Court filings allege Hooks and Doe did not provide Muller-Russo any further medical care.
Muller-Russo was found dead in his cell the next night on April 23.
On Oct. 8, 2025, The Boone County medical examiner determined Muller-Russo died as a result of sepsis due to peritonitis from appendicitis, according to the lawsuit.
Court filings also allege Turn Key has an established pattern of ignoring and disregarding symptoms of life-threatening conditions.
The lawsuit is seeking $20,000,000 in compensatory damages.