An inmate at the State Correctional Institute at Rockview died on Thursday after being found unresponsive in his cell, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
It marked the third inmate death in the last five weeks at the state prison in Benner Township.
Jamie E. Houseknecht, 43, was found unresponsive in his cell on Saturday, Rockview Superintendent Bobbi Jo Salamon reported. Prison staff and medical personnel attempted life-saving measures, and EMS provided advanced life support while taking him to Mount Nittany Medical Center. He died at the hospital early Thursday morning.
State police are investigating the death, per state policy, and the Centre County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause of death.
Houseknect had been incarcerated at Rockview since 2010 and was serving a 12-to-24-year sentence. He pleaded guilty in 2004 in Berks County to aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.
His death comes after two Rockview inmates died in early March. Robert D. Williams, 40, was found unresponsive in his cell and died at Mount Nittany Medical Center on March 3. Andrew Yuhas, 61, died on March 6 at the hospital after he also was found unresponsive in his cell.
Autopsy reports in those cases are still pending.
