Craig Whyte, a 45-year-old New Haven man, was found dead in his cell at Osborn Correctional Institution in Somers on March 22, 2026 — the fifth person to die in Connecticut state custody since February, according to officials and published reports.
A correction officer discovered Whyte unresponsive during a routine cell tour at approximately 1:30 p.m. Staff immediately initiated emergency medical measures and local paramedics continued resuscitation efforts while transporting him to a nearby hospital. He was pronounced dead by a hospital physician at 2:31 p.m., according to a press release from the Connecticut Department of Correction.
The facility was placed on lockdown following the death. Connecticut State Police arrived at Osborn at approximately 4 p.m. to begin a formal inquiry. The cause of death has not been released and remains pending a determination by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Connecticut DOC and State Police Launch Joint Investigation at Osborn
The Connecticut Department of Correction Security Division and Connecticut State Police are conducting a joint investigation into the circumstances of Whyte's death. According to the department's press release, Whyte was serving a 33-month sentence for a threatening offense at the time he died.
Whyte's family retained civil rights attorney Ken Krayeske, who issued a statement following the death. "The DOC is going to do everything it can to hide the truth," Krayeske said. The family has raised questions about the circumstances of the death, though the specific areas of dispute with the DOC's public account have not been detailed in official statements.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not issued a public update on the case. Officials have not provided a timeline for when a cause of death will be determined or when findings from the joint investigation will be released.
Fifth In-Custody Death in Connecticut Since February
Whyte's death is the fifth among incarcerated individuals in Connecticut state custody since February 2026, a frequency that has drawn scrutiny. The deaths occurring in that span include those of Andrey Desmond, Noe Taveras, and Clemente Giusto — all in early February — and Christopher Root in mid-March. Jaishon Bellamy died in an apparent suicide in December 2025.
The causes of death in most prior cases remain under medical examiner review. The Connecticut DOC has not issued any statement addressing the pattern of deaths as a systemic concern.
Connecticut law requires that the state police investigate all deaths in correctional custody, and the medical examiner independently determines cause and manner of death. Those findings are typically released publicly once complete.