John A. Bell Correctional Complex (Golden Grove Correctional Facility) on St. Croix. By. ERNICE GILBERT/VI CONSORTIUM
ST. CROIX — The V.I. Dept. of Justice on Friday announced that the 55-year-old John A. Bell Correctional Complex (Golden Grove Correctional Facility) inmate who died last week in his prison cell succumbed to natural causes.
The incident, reported by the Consortium on Monday, Sept. 20, occurred on Friday, Sept. 17. Initially, the Bureau of Corrections refused to provide details on the incident, including that a death had occurred. However, the bureau later issued a release following the Consortium's published story.
V.I. Police Commissioner Ray Martinez last Sunday confirmed the death and said the V.I.P.D. responded early Sept. 17. "Contact was made with us [V.I.P.D.] early on Friday, and our Major Crimes and Forensic Units responded and processed the scene," said the commissioner.
The V.I. D.O.J. identified the victim as 55-year-old Bryan Glasgow. "Following the autopsy and scientific observation of the remains of his body, DOJ Medical Examiner, Dr. Jaqueline Pender certified the manner of death as natural, and the cause of death as congestive heart failure. There were no signs of injury or foul play," said D.O.J. in a statement.
The Justice Department said the Office of the Medical Examiner investigates and determines the circumstances, manner, and cause of all violent, sudden, suspicious, unusual, or unlawful deaths occurring in the Virgin Islands as mandated by law. "The law requires the Medical Examiner to fully investigate the essential facts concerning the death including an autopsy and his or her opinion necessary to establish the cause of death or to determine the means and manner of death," the statement said.
