WILKES-BARRE -- The Luzerne County District Attorney and the coroner ruled the death of a corrections officer from inside the county jail a homicide on Friday. We also now know what prompted a fight between the officer and an inmate and why an elevator door opened when they crashed into it during that fight.
Police say when inmate Timothy Gilliam asked Luzerne County Corrections Officer Kristopher Moules if he could take the elevator to go up to the fifth floor to his cell, Moules told him since he had no medical condition, he had to take the stairs. According to the district attorney, Gilliam then became angry.
Police also say later that Monday, Officer Kristopher Moules was giving dinner trays to inmates at the fifth floor cell block door.
The last tray was given to Timothy Gilliam. That's when Gilliam began to argue with Moules and another officer. To prevent other inmates from joining in, Moules told Gilliam to go into the hallway. As Moules attempted to handcuff Gilliam, Gilliam pushed Moules backwards and hit the elevator door. The door gave way at the base and swung into the elevator shaft, causing Moules and Gilliam to fall 59 feet.
Luzerne County officials said Officer Moules should not have lost his life.
"They have to deal with these things every single day. Unfortunately, this one ended tragically, but this is just one incident our correction offers have to deal with," said Luzerne County Manager David Pedri.
Officer Moules viewing is Monday and the funeral Tuesday.
Visitation for all uniformed officers will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday at the Wyoming Valley West High School gymnasium in Plymouth.
A public visitation will follow from 4 to 7 p.m.
The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. also from the Wyoming Valley West High School gymnasium followed by interment in St. Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Cemetery on East St. Mary's Road in Hanover Township.
