Pine Bluff, Arkansas – An inmate at the Pine Bluff Unit, Richard Ressler, is suspected to have taken his own life last evening in a tragic incident that has prompted investigations by both the Arkansas State Police and the Department of Corrections.
Tragic Incident at Pine Bluff Unit
Richard Ressler was found by staff in the barracks shower, having apparently used a cord to hang himself, after being alerted by another inmate at 8:20 p.m. Immediate lifesaving measures were undertaken by the staff, and an ambulance was promptly called to the scene. Despite the continued efforts of emergency medical personnel, Ressler was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m. in the emergency room at Jefferson Regional Medical Center.
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Ressler had been serving a 30-year sentence for rape, a conviction that came on February 18, 2016, in Craighead County. The circumstances of his death have led to an investigation by Arkansas State Police investigators, who were called to the scene last night.
Additionally, the Department of Corrections is conducting an internal investigation to thoroughly understand the events leading to Ressler’s death and to review safety and security measures within the facility.
