CT Officials Probe Second Prison Inmate Death In 2-Day Span

NEWTOWN, CT — State police are investigating the untimely death of a prison inmate who was found unresponsive in his cell at Garner Correctional Institution Monday morning.

It was the second inmate death in the span of a couple of days, as another inmate died at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield over the weekend.

The state Department of Correction said the male inmate at Garner was found unresponsive in his cell at approximately 6:45 a.m. Monday. Staff performed lifesaving measures, and the inmate was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Both Troop A personnel and the Western District Major Crime Squad responded to the scene to assist with an investigation, which remains “active and ongoing,” according to police. The Department of Correction is also investigating.

While police and prison officials didn’t release the inmate’s name, both Hearst and News 12 identified him as Andrey Desmond.

The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed it has conducted an autopsy on Desmond, and as of Wednesday, his cause and manner of death were listed as “pending further studies.”

Desmond had been serving a five year prison sentence in connection with an attack on state Rep. Maryam Khan, D-Windsor.

Hearst identified the inmate from MacDougall Walker as Noe Taveras, 40.

Department of Correction records show Taveras was serving a 30 year sentence for first-degree manslaughter.

According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Taveras’ death was a suicide.

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