WCBC

September 29th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

Maryland State Police homicide investigators are continuing their investigation into the apparent murder of an inmate yesterday at a state prison in Allegany County.

            The victim is identified as Shane Simms, 24, an inmate at the North Branch Correctional Institution.  According to Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) officials, Simms was serving a sentence of 10 years for attempted second degree murder. 

            A suspect has been developed during the investigation, but he has not been charged and will not be identified until that occurs.  The suspect is an inmate at the same institution. 

            At about 8:30 p.m. yesterday, the Maryland State Homicide Unit was contacted by members of the DPSCS Internal Investigations Unit (IIU) regarding an inmate death at the North Branch Correctional Institution.  Troopers were informed an inmate who had been wounded in an assault earlier that day had died at the hospital. 

            State Police homicide investigators responded to the prison and worked throughout the night, assisted by DPSCS investigators and prison staff.  The preliminary investigation indicates that shortly after 8:30 a.m. yesterday, Simms was in the outside recreation area of a housing unit when he was assaulted and stabbed by at least one inmate.  Correctional officers in the area saw the assault and immediately responded. 

            Simms was transported to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center in Cumberland, where he died about 12 hours later.  His body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to confirm the cause and manner of death. 

            DPSCS IIU investigators had conducted scene processing earlier in the day.  Potential pieces of evidence, including several prison knives that were recovered, were given to State Police investigators.  The knives and other evidence will be sent to the State Police Forensic Sciences Division for processing. 

            Upon completion of the investigation, reports will be forwarded to the Allegany County State's Attorney's Office for a review and determination regarding criminal charges.  The investigation is continuing.