Apparent Murder of State Prison Inmate Investigated

(CUMBERLAND, MD) – Maryland State Police and Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services investigators are continuing the investigation into the apparent murder of a state prison inmate who was found unresponsive in his cell early this morning in Allegany County.

The deceased is identified as Darrell S. Murray, 30, who was an inmate at the Western Correctional Institution, Cumberland, Md. According to prison officials, he was serving a nine year sentence since 2007 for a drug conviction in Baltimore.

A suspect has been identified by police and is an inmate at the institution. He has not been charged at this time and will not be identified until charges are placed.

The investigation is being conducted by troopers from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, with assistance from the State Police Criminal Enforcement Division, Forensic Sciences Division, and investigators from C3I and the DPSCS Internal Investigation Division.

The preliminary investigation indicates that shortly after 3:00 a.m. today, correctional officers at the Western Correctional Institution were conducting an inmate count when they found Murray unresponsive in his cell. He was lying in his bunk and had a bed sheet tied around his neck.

Correctional officers and institution medical staff began immediate resuscitation efforts and summoned medical personnel. Responding EMS personnel pronounced Murray deceased at the scene. The scene was secured and homicide investigators were called.

No significant trauma was observed on the victim’s body by investigators. The body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore to determine the cause and manner of death.

The investigation is continuing.