List of prison deaths

This is a list of notable people who have died in prison, whether in prison or in hospital while still serving a prison sentence. This list does not include inmates who were executed as punishment for their crimes.

NameDate of death NationalityCause of deathKnown forComments
John McAfee 2021-06-23  United Kingdom “Everything points to death by suicide,”[1] according to the Guardian, except a previous statement: 'If I suicide myself, I didn't.' [2] Founded the software company McAfee Associates in 1987.
Mohamed Morsi 2019-06-17  Egypt Egyptian state television announced on 17 June 2019 that Mohamed Morsi had collapsed during a court hearing on espionage charges at Cairo's Tora prison complex, and later died suddenly, reportedly of a heart attack.[3][4][5][6] Former President of Egypt
Bernie Madoff 2021-04-14  United States Chronic kidney disease[7][8][9][10] Fraudster
Vercingetorixduring 46 BC Gaul

(detained by the Roman Republic)

 StrangulationGaulish leader defeated by Julius Caesar
Philip Howard, 13th Earl of Arundel1595-10-19  Kingdom of England DysenteryImprisoned in the Tower of London as a Roman Catholic recusant by Elizabeth I of England. Acclaimed a martyr almost immediately and canonised in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.
Wolfe Tone1798-11-19  Ireland

(detained by  Great Britain)

 SuicideLeader of the 1798 Irish Rebellion against Great BritainSentenced to death by hanging; committed suicide because he wanted to die by firing squad (a soldier's death, rather than a criminal's) instead.
Toussaint Louverture1804-04-07  Haiti

(detained by  France)

 Natural causesLeader of the Haitian Revolution who was imprisoned for launching a rebellion against France
Pedro Carujo 1836-01-31  Venezuela Battle wounds Military officer, one of the leaders in the Revolution of the Reforms
Anthony Van Egmond1838-01-05  Netherlands

 Upper Canada

 Pneumonia, malnutrition and exposureDutch war veteran and an early settler in the Huron Tract
Gavrilo Princip1918-04-28  Austria-HungaryMalnutrition and skeletal tuberculosisSerbian assassinAssassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, beginning World War I
Richard Loeb1936-01-28  United StatesMurdered by fellow inmate[11]American murderer
Nikolai Vavilov1943-01-26  Soviet UnionMalnutritionRussian botanist and geneticist who was imprisoned for his attempts to opposepseudoscience
Kasturba Gandhi1944-02-22  IndiaNatural causesIndian political activist and the wife of Mahatma GandhiImprisoned in a detention camp in Pune for protesting and participating in the Quit India Movement.
Viktors Eglītis1945-04-20  LatviaUnknownLeading figure in the Latvian decadent movement and an introducer of modernist poeticsAccused of being a fascist collaborator during the Soviet era.[12]
Emil Hácha1945-06-27  CzechoslovakiaUnknown3rd President of Czechoslovakia, later of the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia
Robert Ley1945-10-25 GermanySuicide by hangingNazi war criminal
Hermann Göring1946-10-15  Germany

(detained by the Allied Powers)

 Suicide by poisonNazi war criminal
Rafael Simón Urbina 1950  Venezuela Murder Rebel
Fabricio Ojeda 1966  Venezuela Suicide by hanging Guerrilla leader, politician and journalist
Josef Bachmann1970-02-24  West GermanySuicideAttempt to assassinate APO student leader Rudi Dutschke
Yuri Galanskov1972-11-04  Soviet UnionDeath from an operation by a former doctor (another inmate) without surgical qualificationsRussian poet, historian, and human rights activist, imprisoned for his writings
Albert DeSalvo1973-11-25  United StatesMurderedThe Boston Strangler
Steve Biko1977-09-12  South AfricaBludgeoned to death by South African police[13]South African anti-apartheid activistForty-sixth political detainee to die during interrogation since the government introduced laws permitting imprisonment without trial in 1963.
Andreas Baader1977-10-18  West GermanySuicideMember of the Red Army Faction
Gudrun Ensslin1977-10-18  West GermanySuicideMember of the Red Army Faction
Richard Chase1980-12-26  United StatesSuicideAmerican serial killer
Roy Buchanan1988-08-14  United StatesSuicide by hangingAmerican guitaristHis death is still the subject of fierce debate.
Klaus Barbie1991-09-25  Germany

(detained by  France)

LeukemiaNazi war criminal
Walter Breen1993-04-27  United StatesCancerAmerican child molester
Garry David1993-07-11  AustraliaDied from wounds caused by self-mutilationRobbery and attempted murder
Jeffrey Dahmer1994-11-28  United StatesBeaten to death by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver[14]American serial killer and cannibal
Jesse Anderson1994-11-30  United StatesBeaten to death by fellow inmate Christopher ScarverAmerican murderer
Byron De La Beckwith2001-01-21  United StatesHeart attack[15]American white supremacistKlansman from Greenwood, Mississippi who assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers on June 12, 1963.
Abu Abbas2004-03-08  Palestine

(detained by the  United States in  Iraq)

 Natural causesTerroristCaptured by American forces on 14 April 2003, the Pentagon reported Abbas died on 8 March 2004. US returned body to Palestine Red Crescent Society.
Clayton Fountain2004-07-12  United StatesHeart attackMember of the Aryan Brotherhood
Samuel Bowers2006-11-05  United StatesCardio-pulmonary arrestAmerican white supremacistCo-founded the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and convicted of bombing death of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer.
Antonie Dixon2009-02-04  New ZealandSuicideNew Zealand thief and murderer
Susan Atkins2009-09-24  United StatesBrain tumorMember of the Manson family
Edarem2012-01-08  United StatesLung cancerAmerican Internet personality
Heinrich Boere2013-12-01  GermanyNatural causesNazi war criminal
Sandra Bland2015-07-13  United StatesSuicide (allegedly)American motoristArrested for traffic violation on July 10 by State Trooper Brian Encinia. Encinia was indicted for perjury for making false statements about the circumstances of Bland's arrest. Waller County jail failed to follow required policies and procedures.
Omar Abdel-Rahman2017-02-18  Egypt

(detained by the  United States)

 Coronary arterial diseaseTerrorist
Whitey Bulger2018-10-30  United StatesKilled by prison inmatesAmerican mobster
Jeffrey Epstein2019-08-10  United StatesSuicideAmerican financier and convicted sex offender
Ian Brady2017  United KingdomCancerBritish serial killer
Ariel Castro2013  United StatesSuicideKidnapped and raped three American women for over a decade.
John Evander Couey2009  United StatesCancerSex offender convicted of murdering Jessica Lunsford
Sigurd Debus1981  West GermanyHunger strikeAlleged member of the Red Army Faction
John Geoghan2003  United StatesMurdered by fellow inmate Joseph DruceCatholic priest and child molester
Vincent Gigante2005  United StatesOxygen deprivationAmerican Mafia bossBoss of Genovese crime family
John Wayne Glover2005  AustraliaSuicide by hanging[16]Sydney Granny Murderer
John Gotti2002  United StatesThroat cancerAmerican Mafia boss
Ryan Gracie2007  BrazilDied as a result of brain injuryBrazilian mixed martial artist
Katharina Hammerschmidt1975  West GermanyUntreated cancerMember of the Red Army Faction
Charles Harrelson2007  United StatesHeart attackHitman, convicted of murdering U.S. Federal judge John H. Wood Jr.Father of actor Woody Harrelson.
Donald Harvey2017-03-30  United StatesKilled by fellow inmateSerial killer
Colin Hatch2011  United KingdomSuspected homicideNotorious murderer and child molester
Siegfried Hausner1975  West GermanySevere burns untreated in custodyMember of the Red Army Faction
Aaron Hernandez2017-04-19  United StatesSuicideFormer tight-end for NFL team New England Patriots, later convicted of murdering Odin LloydFound not guilty of the 2012 double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado just 5 days before he was found dead.
Rudolf Hess1987  Germany (held by the Four-Power Authorities)SuicideNazi war criminalWas the sole inmate in Spandau Prison from 1966 until his death. The prison was demolished afterwards
Myra Hindley2002  United KingdomDied in hospital after heart attack in prisonBritish serial killer
Richard Huckle2019  United KingdomStabbed to deathBritish serial sex offender and paedophile
Colin Ireland2012  United KingdomDied as a result of hip injury.[17]British serial killer of gay men
Ilse Koch1967  West GermanySuicide by hangingWife of the Commandant of Buchenwald concentration camp
Ronald Kray1995  United KingdomHeart attackBritish gangster and murderer, twin brother of Reginald Kray
David Lane2007  United StatesEpilepsyAmerican white nationalist
Brian Lawler2018  United StatesSuicide by hanging[18]Professional wrestler
Ervil LeBaron1981  United StatesNatural causesAmerican Mormon fundamentalist
Liu Shaoqi1969  ChinaPneumonia / unknown illnessFormer Chairman of the People's Republic of ChinaDied of mistreatment as a result of political persecution during the Cultural Revolution
Liu Xiaobo2017  ChinaLiver cancerPrisoner of conscienceNobel Peace Prize laureate (2010)
Sergei Magnitsky2009  RussiaClosed cerebral cranial injuryRussian tax accountant who specialized in anti-corruption activitiesMagnitsky alleged there had been large-scale theft from the Russian state, sanctioned and carried out by Russian officials. He was arrested and eventually died in prison.
Charles Manson2017  United StatesNatural causesLeader of the Manson Family
Philip Markoff2010  United StatesSuicideAmerican murdererKnown as the "Craigslist killer"
Andrew Martinez2006  United StatesSuicideNude activist
Ulrike Meinhof1976  West GermanySuicideMember of the Red Army Faction
Holger Meins1974  West GermanyHunger strikeMember of the Red Army Faction
Ivan Milat2019  AustraliaNatural causesMurder
Slobodan Milošević2006  SerbiaHeart attackSerbian and Yugoslav president
Tjostolv Moland2013  Norway (detained by the  Democratic Republic of the Congo)SuicideSentenced to death for murder, and espionage for NorwayDied in Congolese custody[19]
Joe "Pegleg" Morgan1993  Mexico (detained by the  United States)Liver cancerMexican Mafia leader
Dennis Nilsen2018  United KingdomPulmonary embolismBritish serial killer
Lou Pearlman2016  United StatesCardiac arrestManager of Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC
Carmine Persico2019  United StatesNatural causesBoss of the Colombo crime family
Lawrence Phillips01-13-2016  United StatesSuicideAmerican football playerPhillips was facing the death penalty in the alleged murder of his former cellmate in April 2015.
Richard Ramirez06-07-2013  United StatesCancerAmerican serial killer
Jan-Carl Raspe1977  West GermanySuicideMember of the Red Army Faction
James Earl Ray1998  United StatesHepatitis CConvicted for assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Sarah Reed2016  United KingdomSuicide/accidental deathOn remand awaiting possible trial pending psychiatric reportsCharged with GBH with intent
Jack Ruby1967  United StatesPulmonary embolismAmerican nightclub owner

Murdered Lee Harvey Oswald.

Bobby Sands1981  United KingdomHunger strikeIrish republicanDied along with 9 other Republicans on hunger strike. See 1981 Irish Hunger Strike
Gerard John Schaefer1995  United StatesStabbed to deathAmerican murderer
Ingrid Schubert1977  West GermanySuicideMember of the Red Army Faction
Arthur Shawcross2008  United StatesCardiac arrestSerial killer
Harold Shipman2004  United KingdomSuicide by hangingBritish doctor who killed many of his patients
Richard Speck12-05-1991  United StatesHeart attackAmerican mass murderer
Phil Spector01-16-2021  United StatesComplications from COVID-19American music producerWas convicted of the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson and was serving a 19 years to life prison sentence at the time of his death.
John Straffen2007  United KingdomNatural causesBritish serial killerLongest-serving prisoner in British legal history, was in prison for 55 years until his death
Robert Stroud1963  United StatesNatural causesThe Birdman of Alcatraz
John Anthony Walker2014  United StatesUnknownUnited States Navy Chief Warrant Officer convicted of spying for the Soviet Union from 1968 to 1985
Raoul Wallenberg1947 or later  Sweden

(believed to have been detained by the  Soviet Union)

Unknown (debated)Extrajudicial punishment in Soviet Lefortovo prisonDiplomat, rescued Jews during the Holocaust
Fred West1995  United KingdomSuicide by hanging[20]Multiple murders; was on remand awaiting trial
Edwin Valero 2010  Venezuela Suicide Professional boxer
Carl Williams2010  AustraliaBludgeoned to deathAustralian crime bossMurdered by fellow inmate while serving sentence
Yip Kai Foon2017  Hong KongLung cancer[21]Hong Kong armed robber with AK-47
Carlos Andrés García 2017  Venezuela Debated Politician, councilman at the time of dearth García suffered a stroke in detention. Security officials reportedly refused to give medical attention to García, ignored the orders to transfer him to a health center and did not give him medicines sent by his relatives.[22][23][24] He was transferred to a hospital days afterwards.[25]
Nelson Martínez 2017  Venezuela Health complications[26] Minister of Petroleum and President of Petróleos de Venezuela
Fernando Albán 2018  Venezuela Body fell from a tenth-floor of the headquarters of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN).[27] Unofficially, Albán died before his fall and the autopsy revealed that water was found in his lungs.[28][29] Politician, councilman at the time of dearth Initially ruled officially as a suicide, a version heavily disputed, authorities later admitted that Albán was killed during his detention.[30]
Rafael Acosta Arévalo 2019  Venezuela Widespread polytrauma, torture[31][32][33] Military officer with the rank of corvette captain Died shortly after attending to a court hearing, arriving in a wheelchair and with serious indications of torture.[34]
Graham Young1990  United KingdomHeart attackPoisonerDied in Parkhurst prison. Heart attack is the official cause of death, but there has been speculation that other prisoners may have been responsible.
Romell Broom2020  United StatesCOVID-19Murder of Tryna Middleton.[35]
Salvador Franco 2021  Venezuela Tuberculosis and malnourishment.[36] Pemon political prisoner Franco had COVID-19 and that for months suffered from gastrointestinal diseases related to the insalubrity of his penitentiary center, losing a large amount of weight in detention. There was a court order for his transfer to a health center, but it was ultimately ignored.[37][38]
Daniela Figueredo 2021  Venezuela Gunshot Young detainee Shot in the face by a police officer and killed at the age of nineteen.[39][40] Human rights activists declared that the incident occurred when the officer tried to sexually abuse her.[41]
Terry Peder Rasmussen2010  United Stateslung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumoniaSerial killer with six known victims.[42] on December 28, 2010.[43][44]
Jack Unterweger1994  AustriaSuicideSerial killer with estimated 12-15 victims[45][46][47]

See also

References
  1. "John McAfee: antivirus entrepreneur found dead in Spanish prison". the Guardian. 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  2. "2 years before his death, John McAfee posted a tweet saying, 'If I suicide myself, I didn't. I was whackd.'". Business Insider. 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  3. "Mursi's death in Cairo prison raises fears for other inmates". Reuters. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  4. "Egypt's ousted president Mohammed Morsi dies in court". BBC News. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  5. "Egypt's former president Mohamed Morsi dies: state media". Al Jazeera. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  6. "Former Egyptian president Morsi dies during court hearing". The Jerusalem Post. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  7. "AP source: Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in prison". Associated Press. April 14, 2021. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021.
  8. Steinberg, Marty; Cohn, Scott (April 14, 2021). "Bernie Madoff, mastermind of the nation's biggest investment fraud, dies at 82". CNBC.
  9. "Disgraced financier, Ponzi scheme architect Bernie Madoff dies in prison". Jerusalem Post. Reuters. April 14, 2021.
  10. Rothfeld, Michael; Baer, Justin (April 14, 2021). "Bernie Madoff Dead at 82; Disgraced Investor Ran Biggest Ponzi Scheme in History". The Wall Street Journal.
  11. Linder, Douglas O. (1997). "The Leopold and Loeb Trial: A Brief Account". University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law. Archived from the original on 15 March 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
  12. Purs, Aldis; Plakans, Andrejs (2017). Historical Dictionary of Latvia (Third ed.). Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 102. ISBN 9781538102213. LCCN 2016056922.
  13. Pillay, Verashni (2007-09-12). "Keeping Steve Biko alive". News24. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
  14. Price, Lisa (May 8, 1996). "Serial killer's property set to go on the auction block". CNN. Archived from the original on March 15, 2008.
  15. Stout, David (2001-01-23). "Byron De La Beckwith Dies; Killer of Medgar Evers Was 80". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2008-12-07. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
  16. "Granny killer found dead in cell". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australian Associated Press. 10 September 2005. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020.
  17. Gray, Stephen (29 February 2012). "Exercise yard fall contributed to death of 'Gay Slayer', inquest hears". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 10 June 2013.
  18. Meltzer, Dave (July 29, 2018). "Brian Christopher pronounced brain dead after suicide attempt". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  19. Rydland, Julie (29 August 2013). "Congo: Prisoner took his own life". The Norway Post. Aftenposten. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  20. Morris, Steven (2007-09-20). "Serial Murder and the Psychology of a Sexual Sadist: Frederick West". New Criminologist. Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  21. "'King of Robbery' Yip Kai-foon dies of cancer". RTHK. 19 April 2017. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017.
  22. "Relatan cómo fue la muerte del concejal Carlos Andrés García" [Told how the death of councilor Carlos Andrés García was]. EP Mundo (in Spanish). 19 September 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  23. "Muere un concejal opositor venezolano que estaba preso, su familia denuncia que no recibió atención médica" [A Venezuelan opposition councilor who was imprisoned dies, his family denounces that he did not receive medical attention]. Univision (in Spanish). 18 September 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  24. Arenas, Macky (19 September 2017). "Venezuela consternada: ¿De qué murió el concejal Carlos Andrés García?" [Venezuela in dismay: What did councilor Carlos Andrés García die of?]. Aleteia (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  25. "TSJ informó que concejal Carlos García recibió atención médica en agosto" [TSJ reported that councilman Carlos García received medical attention in August]. El Nacional (in Spanish). 18 September 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  26. Jailed ex-Venezuela oil minister Nelson Martinez dies
  27. "Conozca las 10 claves de la muerte del concejal Fernando Albán". Efecto Cocuyo (in Spanish). 11 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  28. Olmo, Guillermo D. (10 October 2018). "3 incógnitas que rodean la muerte del dirigente opositor venezolano Fernando Albán". BBC News Mundo. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  29. Lozano Daniel (10 October 2018). "El opositor venezolano que según el chavismo se suicidó 'tenía agua en los pulmones'". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  30. "Tarek Saab asegura que hay «falta de transparencia» en proceso de CPI". Analítica (in Spanish). 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  31. "Autopsia al cadáver de Rafael Acosta Arévalo revela lesiones graves por posible golpiza" [Autopsy on the corpse of Rafael Acosta Arévalo reveals serious injuries due to possible beating]. Tal Cual (in Spanish). 2 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  32. "Filtran autopsia del capitán Acosta Arévalo que confirma que fue torturado" [Leaked autopsy of Captain Acosta Arévalo, confirming that he was tortured]. El Nacional (in Spanish). 3 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  33. Phillips, Tom (4 July 2019). "Venezuela: UN report accuses Maduro of 'gross violations' against dissenters". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  34. Bocaranda, Nelson (30 June 2019). "¿Acaso un segundo Albán? ¿Torturas en Dgcim provocaron la muerte al C.C. Acosta Arévalo?" [Maybe a second Albán? Torture in DGCIM caused death to C.C. Acosta Arévalo?]. Runrunes (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  35. "Inmate who survived execution attempt dies; COVID suspected". AP. December 29, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  36. "Autopsia reveló que pemón Salvador Franco falleció por tuberculosis y desnutrición". Tal Cual (in Spanish). 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  37. "El preso político indígena Salvador Franco murió por falta de atención médica en una cárcel del régimen de Maduro". Infobae. 3 January 2021.
  38. "Foro Penal: Falleció en El Rodeo II el preso político pemón Salvador Franco". El Nacional. 2021-01-03.
  39. "Denunciarán ante ONU asesinato de mujer bajo custodia del Estado en Venezuela". Deutsche Welle. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  40. "Alimentos y seguridad por sexo, el drama de las presas venezolanas, por Carlos Nieto Palma". Runrunes. 2021-03-19. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  41. "AN opositora presentará caso de Daniela Figueredo ante oficina de Bachelet y Cidh" (in European Spanish). El Pitazo. 2021-03-17. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  42. Downey, KC (June 6, 2019). "Case timeline: Killer Terry Peder Rasmussen, also known as "Bob Evans"". WMUR-TV. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  43. "AG: Man who killed woman, 3 children in Allenstown also killed missing Manchester woman". WFXT. January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  44. "Timeline of serial killer Terry Rasmussen's terror in New Hampshire, California". WBAL. March 18, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  45. Atkinson, Rick (3 August 1994). "Killer Prose". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  46. Czech language article about the victim from Prague
  47. Malnic, Eric (June 30, 1994). "Austrian Slayer of L.A. Prostitutes Kills Self". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035.
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