Inevitable discovery doctrine & inventory searches

In a recent Fourth Circuit case (US v. Seay), the court had to analyze an exception to the warrant requirement: inevitable discovery...more specifically, the inventory search. The standard rule is that law enforcement must get a search warrant to conduct a search or seizure. If they do not get a warrant, and they conduct the search/seizure, then it must fit into an exception of the warrant requirement:

One exception is the inevitable discovery doctrine:

An inventory search may fall under the inevitable discovery doctrine:

United States v. Seay, No. 18-4383, 2019 WL 6516222, (4th Cir. Dec. 4, 2019), as amended (Dec. 4, 2019)