SEWARD, ALASKA-Troopers with the Alaska Bureau of Investigations are looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of Egan J. Tommy, an inmate at the Spring Creek Correctional Center outside of Seward.

Tommy was found, unresponsive, in his cell at about 6:20 am on August 31st. Attempts were made at that time to revive him, those attempts were unsuccessful. He was then taken to a local hospital in Seward, where he was pronounced dead.

It is unkown at this time whether Tommy’s death is considered a homicide, or if the death is even suspicious. Authorities at the correctional center, as well as the Bureau of Investigations, have no comment on the specifics of his death as an investigation is on-going.

The Spring Creek prison superintendent told a member of his immediate family that Tommy may have been suffering from the flu prior to his death. But, when Tommy’s sister, Gloria Kanrilak, attempted to confirm with the Prison Chaplain, her told her that he did not know what led to Tommy’s death. Tommy talked and wrote letters regularly, and never indicated that he was ill.

Egan J. Tommy was convicted of shooting to death an Elder of Newtok in 2006 and had been incarcerated at Spring Creek since 2008. He was serving a 25 year sentence.

Spring Creek Correctional Center is located in Resurrection Bay, close to the city of Seward. It is the site of the beating death of John Carlin in 2008, who was convicted of killing Kent Leppink. This facility also houses the notorious Robert Hansen, also known as the “Butcher Baker,” Alaska’s infamous serial killer, murderer of 17 to 21 women in Anchorage, Alaska.