Palmer Correctional Center in July 2021. The facility is expected to reopen following a 17 million improvement project. (Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media)

A person passed away while being heldat Palmer Correctional Center near Sutton on Tuesday.

The Department of Public Safety reports that the 66-year-old Michael Padilla experienced a medical emergency and passed away in the early hours of 4:31 p.m. Troopers reported that natural causes could have led Padilla’s death and his body was transferred to the office of the State Medical Examiner to undergo an autopsy.

Department of Corrections spokesperson Betsy Holley confirmed that five prisoners have been killed in the custody of Alaska this year. Padilla is the only one one to pass away at Palmer Correctional Center. Palmer Correctional Center. Padilla was in the center since the beginning of May last year.

At present, there are 470 prisoners who are housed at Palmer Correctional Center and 75 correctional officers.

The record number of people who died while in prison at the time of their deaths in Alaska by 2022. Department of Corrections Commissioner Jen Winkleman said to members of the House Judiciary Committee in February ” that’s too many.”