Benner state prison inmate dies by suicide in cell, Centre County Coroner’s Office says

A Benner state prison inmate died on Tuesday, according to a statement from State Correctional Institute at Benner Township.

Evan Smith, 39, was found unresponsive in his cell Tuesday before being transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:23 a.m.

The official cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging, according to the Centre County Coroner’s Office. Pennsylvania State Police are conducting an investigation as per state policy.

Smith was serving a 23-47 year sentence for third-degree murder in Bucks County and had been at Benner Township since March 30.

Smith marks the ninth inmate at Benner Township state prison to take his own life there since 2018. Centre County’s two state prisons rank high in deaths by suicide compared to other state prisons over the same time period. Four inmates have died by suicide this year at Rockview state prison.

Several staff members at Centre County’s state prisons have also been assaulted by inmates this year.

SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org

Center for Community Resources: Visit 2100 E. College Ave., 24/7

This story was originally published July 5, 2023 at 2:18 PM.