Police investigate death of 80-year-old prisoner in Maryland as homicide

Police in Maryland have launched an investigation into the murder of an 80-year-old inmate in an Allegany County jail.

According to Maryland State Police, Ralph Ruark was pronounced dead around 3:30 p.m. Saturday by emergency responders at the Western Correctional Institution in Cumberland, where he was incarcerated.

The death is being investigated as a homicide and Ruark’s body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore to determine the cause of death, a press release said.

The Department of Public Safety and Corrections’ Internal Investigations Unit contacted the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit about Ruark’s death at approximately 4:10 p.m. Saturday.

The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit is leading the investigation with assistance from the Maryland State Police Crime Scene Unit and investigators from the DPSCS Internal Investigation Unit.

Police said the information will be submitted to the Allegany County District Attorney’s Office for review once the investigation is complete.

Below you can see a map showing the location of the prison.

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