SPRINGFIELD — The Vermont State Police is investigating the death of an inmate at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield on Monday morning, Feb. 17.
Michael Myers, 51, of Bennington, was found unresponsive in his cell at about 9:30 a.m. by a Department of Corrections staff member who had gone to check on him.
Myers had been complaining of feeling unwell during the past few days and had returned to his cell to lie down.
DOC staff members began life-saving measures and called for emergency medical services to respond to the facility.
Myers was pronounced deceased at Southern State by responding EMS at about 10 a.m.
The Department of Corrections notified the Vermont State Police that Myers had died while in custody.
An autopsy will be performed at the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington to determine the cause and manner of death.
Per standard protocol for deaths involving inmates, a detective from the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations was assigned to the case and responded to the prison to begin an investigation.
The death does not appear to be suspicious, and initial indications are that the death resulted from a medical event.
Myers had been in custody since 2016 on convictions that included aggravated assault with a weapon, three counts of aggravated assault, leaving the scene of an accident, driving under the influence, possession of heroin, unlawful trespass and resisting arrest.
No additional information is currently available.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Vermont State Police will provide updates when possible.
