Authorities are investigating the fatal assault at a prison of a convicted murderer who died last week, the state's prison system said Monday.
Jerry Richard died at a Little Rock hospital on Friday, two days after the assault at the Cummins Unit, the state Division of Correction said. Richard, 55, was serving a life sentence for a first-degree murder conviction out of Washington County.
The Department of Corrections began an internal investigation following Richard's death, and Arkansas State Police are also investigating the fatal assault. A State Police spokesman said the agency was notified about the inmate's death on Monday.
The department released few details about the incident, including how Richard died.