Lackawanna County Coroner Timothy Rowland on Thursday released the name of a federal detainee who was killed at the county prison earlier this week.
Michael Jones Jr., 45, died as a result of blunt head trauma, Rowland said. His death has been ruled a homicide.
A U.S. Justice Department press release issued in December 2024 said Jones, of Wilkes-Barre, was convicted by a federal jury on drug-trafficking and weapons charges following a trial.
The Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office previously said law enforcement was alerted Tuesday afternoon to an inmate-on-inmate assault at the prison in Scranton that left one person dead.
The DA's Office and Pennsylvania State Police Troop R responded and are investigating Jones' death.
"There will be no further comment until next of kin is notified and our investigation is completed," a statement from the DA's office released Tuesday said.
No new details have been released.
— Roger DuPuis