Hagerstown, MD (JK) – A criminal investigation into the death of an inmate at Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown has led to leadership changes, disciplinary action against correctional staff, and new oversight measures at the state prison.
Maryland State Police and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services are investigating the May 20 death of 32-year-old Colin Wolf, a Harford County man who was found unresponsive in his prison cell. Authorities have identified Wolf’s cellmate as a suspect, but no charges have been announced.
According to Wolf’s father, investigators told the family his son may have been dead for hours, or possibly days, before he was discovered, raising questions about required inmate counts and routine welfare checks.
In response, the state confirmed Roxbury’s former warden is retiring, the prison’s chief of security is no longer employed by the state, 19 correctional officers have been administratively charged, and eight medical staff members have been barred from working in Maryland correctional facilities while the investigation continues. Additional measures, including increased supervisory oversight of inmate well-being checks, have also been implemented.
Wolf’s death is one of several violent incidents reported at Roxbury this year, including another inmate homicide in May and a recent gang-related stabbing involving eight inmates. State officials and the correctional officers’ union continue to disagree over whether staffing shortages contributed to the violence.
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