Convicted murderer found dead in SCI Benner Township
BENNER TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WJAC) — A man convicted of murder was found dead in State Correctional Institution Benner Township over the weekend.
According to the state Department of Corrections, 32-year-old Yessy Rivera was found unresponsive in his cell Sunday morning.
SCI officials say staff provided immediate emergency assistance until medical personnel arrived at the prison.
Rivera was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the DOC.
The cause of death has not been released.
Authorities say Rivera was serving a 20- to 40-year sentence for third-degree murder from Carbon County.
According to NBC affiliate WBRE, Rivera was seen by a witness holding a knife to 44-year-old Brian Lindner’s throat during an argument the summer of 2017. Rivera was found guilty of murder the following year.
Authorities say Rivera has been at SCI Benner Township since June 2019.
According to state records, this is the fourth inmate death at SCI Benner Township in 2019.
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