Authorities investigating death of inmate at Stafford Creek

The death of an inmate at Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Aberdeen on Dec. 11 has prompted investigations by the state Department of Corrections and the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office, officials said.

Michael Lindsey, 32, was found dead in his cell just after 3 p.m. Dec. 11, department spokesman Jeremy Barclay said. Lindsey was sent to prison in 2007 for a second-degree murder conviction, Barclay said.

Grays Harbor County Coroner Lane Youmans said an autopsy was performed Monday, but the cause of death had yet to be determined. It could be as long as eight weeks before the results of the autopsy are released, he said.

Lindsey’s sister, Tiffany Trickey of Longview, told The Daily World that Lindsey had been at Stafford Creek for about five years and had previously spent time at Airway Heights Corrections Center near Spokane and at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. He was from the Lewiston and Clarkston area, she said.

Trickey’s family heard of the death on Saturday, she said, after missing calls from corrections staff Friday.

Since then, Trickey said, she’s been “bombarded” with messages on social media from people who claim to have information about her brother’s death through inmates who witnessed the emergency response at the prison. She said those messages allege that corrections staff had ignored Lindsey’s requests for medical attention.

Lindsey, Trickey said, had long suffered from chronic abdominal and back pain, but she said she didn’t know if he’d ever been diagnosed with a condition.

“It’s been nonstop for days. People have been trying to contact us and tell us something’s wrong,” she said. “I’ve been trying to keep up with it all and it’s just absolutely crazy — it’s everywhere.”

Barclay said, “We look forward to the autopsy coming forward so that we can clear up any rumors or any misunderstandings.”

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 7:17 AM with the headline "Authorities investigating death of inmate at Stafford Creek."