Coroner: Inmate death at South Carolina prison is suspicious

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Department of Corrections is investigating the death of an inmate found unresponsive at a Columbia prison.

Richland County Coroner Gary Watts tells The State that the Sunday death of 52-year-old Isaac Starke is considered suspicious. Watts says Starke didn’t die of natural causes at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, and an autopsy is set for Monday morning.

A state Department of Corrections inmate report says Starke was serving time for charges including criminal sexual conduct with a minor and criminal sexual conduct in an Aiken courtroom. Starke has been disciplined for striking a prison employee, disorderly conduct and soliciting an employee to violate prison rules. He was set to be released in 2026.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com