HARRISBURG, Pa. — An autopsy performed on the Dauphin County Prison inmate Justin Cofield did not ascertain his cause and manner of death, and advanced studies are needed to determine how and why he died in his prison cell last week, coroner Graham Hetrick said Thursday.
Cofield was found unresponsive in his cell at 9:33 a.m. on February 23 and was pronounced dead at 10:08 a.m. after lifesaving measures attempted by prison staff and EMS personnel were unsuccessful, prison officials said.
Cofield is the third inmate to die in the prison in the last three months. Earlier this week, his family demanded answers from prison officials.
“I know you have to do an investigation but you have to tell me something about my nephew other than he was found unresponsive," Linda Thomas, Cofield's aunt, said Tuesday. "You have to let his parents know something more than he was found unresponsive.”
The autopsy was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed to Thursday morning so that a radiology scan could be performed on Cofeld's body "in an effort to gather as much information as possible on the cause and manner of death and to give the family as much information and sense of closure as possible," Hetrick said.
After performing the autopsy, Hetrick said both the cause and manner of death are pending, due to the need for advanced studies.
The Dauphin County Criminal Investigations Division of the District Attorney’s Office and DCP Internal Affairs continue to investigate Cofield’s death.
Cofield was committed to Dauphin County Prison on August 31, 2023 on charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver and a Dauphin County Probation Detainer.
Because the investigation is ongoing, no further information can be released at this time, prison officials said.
"The Prison staff, Coroner, and county commissioners continue to work with the family and friends of Mr. Cofield," county officials said. "The Dauphin County Prison Board is also in the process of scheduling town hall meetings to provide an open forum for the community to ask questions about the operation of the Prison."