The Illinois Department of Corrections remains mum about an in-custody death at Western Illinois Correctional Center in April.
According to the Journal Courier, 36-year old Deon Mathis died in custody at the Mt. Sterling facility on April 10th.
According to CBS News Chicago, Mathis, who was allegedly an admitted gang member, was involved in a shooting as a getaway driver in a murder over a rival gang hit on a family member.
Mathis was found unresponsive in his cell by correctional officers in April. According to a report from the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, an autopsy showed no signs of trauma. Mathis’ mother, Valerie Waters, says that Mathis did not have any known illnesses or health problems at the time of his death.
Waters says her son’s counsel was working on an appeal to his case to get him released from prison after new evidence was said to have arisen that could possibly exonerate him from involvement in the 2011 Chicago shooting.
Mathis’ prisoner profile on the Department of Corrections website has already been removed. His mother also says she has had trouble gaining custody of her son’s body to bring it home for burial. According to the Journal Courier, Mathis’ body remains in Springfield where a recent autopsy was performed.
The Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation is assisting the Illinois Department Corrections in the investigation into Mathis’ death, but have refused to provide further information.