April 16th, 2017 by WCBC Radio

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

The victim is identified as Michael Hall, 30, an inmate at the Western Correctional Institution. According to Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) officials, Hall was serving a sentence of 29 years for murder and weapons charges.

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.

Shortly after 2:00 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 Washington 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 to conduct the investigation, assisted by DPSCS investigators and prison staff.  The preliminary investigation indicates that at about 2:00 p.m. yesterday, Hall was in an inside recreation area when he was assaulted and stabbed by one inmate.

Hall was transported to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center in Cumberland, where he was pronounced deceased at 3:15 p.m.  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.

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.