WEST LIBERTY, Ky. (LEX18) — The sister of an inmate murdered at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex (EKCC) is calling for a deeper investigation into her brother's death, stating prison officials have ignored her calls for answers over the past five months.
Megan Shell has been pleading for information about the Sep. 30, 2025, murder of her 27-year-old brother Ryan Rayburn, who was found strangled to death in his cell at the West Liberty facility.
"I do feel like they need to be further investigated, because a lot of things aren't right," Shell said.
According to his autopsy report, Rayburn was strangled to death by an extension cord and died from asphyxia via ligature strangulation.
Shell described her brother as a caring person who would help anyone in need.
"He was very like funny, and loving. He liked caring for everybody. So if you were in trouble, he would try to cheer you up, or like help you out and give his shirt off his back for you," Shell said.
Rayburn was serving time at EKCC after a 2023 parole violation. In 2018, he had pleaded guilty to criminal abuse and sexual abuse of a victim under 12. After being released in 2021, he was sent back to prison following the parole violation.
Shell said she had been worried about her brother's safety at the facility and was trying to get him transferred.
"We were afraid with him being in that prison and everything, and the reputation that prison has. So, I was trying to get him transferred," Shell said.
When she learned of his death, Shell said she wasn't surprised, given her concerns about the prison.
"I just remember thinking in my head, like I knew something like this was going to happen, and like just angry at the whole situation. 'Cuz I feel like none of this should have even happened in the first place," Shell said.
Jeremy Brooks, 45, who was serving life without parole at EKCC for several charges, including complicity to murder and complicity to robbery from 2008, was charged with murder in connection with Rayburn's death.
Rayburn's murder came exactly one month after 34-year-old Robert Broyles was also strangled to death in his cell at EKCC.
Shell said prison officials have provided no information about her brother's death and have not returned any of her calls.
"The only information I've gotten is from me, digging and finding it out myself. I haven't gotten anything or heard from the prison since the day that it happened," Shell said.
Like Broyles' widow, Shell said she has called EKCC more than a dozen times with no response.
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Widow demands answers, change after husband is strangled to death in EKCC
"I was calling every day for at least two months, and I haven't gotten no calls back or anything," Shell said.
With no communication from Kentucky corrections officials, Shell said she suspects EKCC is covering up something larger and needs to be held accountable.
"I would never wish this on anyone, not even my worst enemy," Shell said. "They need to do better and take people's lives better, and make sure that their protocols are better, and that they need to take people's lives more seriously."
You can follow along with our other stories on the EKCC inmate deaths in our 'We Follow Through' section.
