JASPER COUNTY, S.C. — Patrick Chase Massey, a 34-year-old inmate at Ridgeland Correctional Institution, was pronounced dead at the Jasper County prison last night following an apparent altercation in his cell.
Massey was discovered unresponsive after what authorities suspect was a fight. His cellmate sustained non-life-threatening injuries consistent with a physical altercation and was treated on-site at the prison.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) has launched an investigation into Massey’s death, which is being treated as a suspected homicide. The SCDC Inspector General’s office is leading the investigation with support from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Crime Scene Unit and the Jasper County Coroner’s Office.
An autopsy is scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
Further details will be provided as the investigation progresses
