WARTBURG, Tenn. — An inmate has been indicted on a murder charge in the fatal stabbing of Correctional Officer Dustin Pedigo at Morgan County Correctional Complex.
A Morgan County grand jury indicted Reginald C. Steed, 35, on charges of first-degree murder and possession of an unlawful weapon in a penal facility, according to court records cited by WBIR.
Authorities allege Steed broke through a faulty cell lock and ambushed Pedigo while the officer was conducting nighttime rounds on Feb. 24. Steed has since been transferred to Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville and still must be served with the indictment.
The grand jury also heard testimony related to broader safety concerns at the Wartburg prison, including door lock checks, classification decisions and issues involving narrow jamb door locks, according to WBIR.
TDOC has acknowledged problems with the locks, which inmates reportedly knew how to manipulate, sometimes with an item as simple as a piece of paper.
Pedigo was alone during late-night rounds when he was attacked. An autopsy showed he was stabbed eight times in the neck with a shank, WBIR reported.
Pedigo’s family has said Steed planned the attack and warned multiple people that he intended to hurt someone.
The grand jury is expected to meet again June 23 to hear additional testimony, including from Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents. State lawmakers have also raised questions about what prison officials knew before the attack and whether Pedigo’s death could have been prevented.
