Alaska Department of Corrections Reports Five In-Custody Deaths in 2024

The Alaska Department of Corrections has reported five in-custody deaths so far in 2024, with three deaths occurring in the month of April. Nathaniel David Leask, 49, died by suicide on April 3 in the Anchorage Correctional Complex, just six days after being remanded for probation violations. The ACLU of Alaska has called for increased mental health resources and greater oversight from the Department of Corrections.

On April 8, Marcias Zorita Reinhold, 83, died in Hiland Mountain Correctional Center, and on April 20, Lena Lola Lynn, 63, died in Goose Creek Correctional Center. Both deaths were categorized as “medically expected” by the department. The Alaska State Troopers investigate all in-custody deaths for evidence of criminal conduct. In February, Pedro George Rubke, 78, died in Goose Creek, and in March, Reginald Eugene Childers Jr., 42, also died by suicide in the Anchorage Correctional Complex.

The recent deaths bring the total to at least 70 deaths in the custody of DOC since 2020, with 18 deaths reported as suicides. The department has declined to comment on the recent incidents, citing ongoing internal investigations. The DOC has faced three wrongful death lawsuits since 2022, with one lawsuit filed in March by the family of Lewis Jordan Jr., alleging staff negligence that led to his death in 2023.

Each in-custody death undergoes a thorough internal review by the DOC’s Medical and Institutions Divisions, as well as an external review by the Department of Public Safety and the State Medical Examiner. Details of anticipated deaths are protected by HIPAA regulations. The DOC is under pressure to improve protocols surrounding in-custody deaths to prevent further tragedies.