The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) is investigating two inmate deaths that occurred at prison facilities in different parts of the state over the weekend.
The deaths are apparently unrelated and neither has a nexus to violence, sources familiar with the situation told us.
According to our sources, one of the deaths took place at the Tyger River correctional institution in Enoree, S.C. The other took place at Kershaw correctional institution in Kershaw, S.C.
Both facilities are level two (i.e. medium security) facilities.
Not long after our original report was published, SCDC identified 46-year-old James Farrow as the inmate who died at Tyger River correctional and 52-year-old Ronnie Williams as the inmate who died at Kershaw correctional.
Corrections officials indicated both deaths were “believed to be connected to illicit drug use.”
In addition to SCDC investigators, coroners in Spartanburg County (Tyger River case) and Lancaster County (Kershaw case) are reportedly assisting in the inquiries – as are agents of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
[su_dominion_video_scb]“Autopsies are being performed to determine cause of death,” a tweet from the agency noted.
“Inmates are being reminded of the consequences that can occur when taking or combining different drugs,” a follow-up tweet warned, adding that SCDC “will seek criminal charges against anyone caught bringing in contraband to an institution.”
Developing …
-FITSNews
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