Macomb County inmate charged after cellmate found hogtied, strangled, and stabbed to death
Michael Ketchum is accused of stabbing, strangling, and hogtying his cellmate in October and then attacking another inmate at the breakfast line.
MACOMB, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Macomb County inmate already serving at least 44 years in prison could spend the rest of life in prison after authorities said he killed his cellmate and attacked another inmate at breakfast.
Michael Ketchum, 44, was charged this week with the murder of his cellmate on Oct. 18, 2022. According to the Macomb County Prosecutor, Ketchum was as breakfast at the Macomb Correctional Facility when he attacked an inmate.
Authorities said the inmate was stabbed eight times in the head and neck but is expected to survive.
As prison officials were searching his jail cell, they found his cellmate hogtied, strangled, and stabbed to death underneath his bed.
"Mental health is greatly needed in our court system," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.
Ketchum is charged with murder in the first degree, a life without parole offense, assault with intent to murder, a life offense, and prisoner in possession of a weapon, a five-year felony.
He was already in prison and serving a 44 to 70-year sentence, with another 60-plus years to go, on counts of kidnappings, running a meth lab, felony firearms, and more.
State corrections sources say the cellmate who was killed was a 28-year-old serving a 3 to 20-year sentence who was eligible for parole. Sources told FOX 2 in October that the victim was in prison on several counts, including armed robbery, assaulting a prison employee, and felony firearms.
It’s the second time a prisoner was murdered at the same facility this year. Police say 55-year-old Elrick Cooper killed an inmate in May.
Ketchum was transferred to a higher security prison after his cellmate's death.