Detective misconduct involved suspect in case of tortured, murdered chemist

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Disturbing new information has been released about the murder case investigated by a former Memphis Police Lieutenant.

Lieutenant Eric Kelly retired before he could be disciplined for allegedly having sexual contact with a woman in the case.

Thursday, Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich announced that her office could find no criminal laws violated by former MPD homicide detective Eric Kelly.

The 26-year police veteran resigned before an internal investigation could be completed into his sexual relations with a homicide suspect, Bridgett Stafford.

It involved the 2017 kidnapping torture and murder of a 60-year-old chemist from Little Rock -- a case Kelly was investigating.

Stafford is charged as an accessory after the fact. Nicholas Waugh and Eric Curry are charged with first degree murder.

A police affidavit indicates the chemist was beaten in his own car, parked in front of Curry's house and in the garage.

We tried to reach Curry's mother for comment, but she did not want to talk.

According to the affidavit, Curry and Waugh continued to beat the chemist who was nude and bound with tape. They wanted his pin number.

He was taken to a motel in the Sycamore View, Macon Road area and beaten some more.

The affidavit says Waugh claimed he dumped the chemist's body behind an office park where it was found.

We've learned Waugh is facing the death penalty in this case. Curry is not.

A source also says Waugh and his girlfriend, a woman named Lindsey, went to Little Rock to meet the chemist.

The trio ended up back in Memphis.

It is not clear how much time passed before the chemist was murdered.

According to the affidavit, Bridgett Stafford showed up at the motel and was aware of the murder. It states she drove Curry and another man to a cell phone store where they charged $1,500 in cell phones on the chemist’s credit card.

A trial date for Curry, Waugh and Stafford has not yet been set.

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