A bacterial infection related to intravenous drug use caused the death of a prisoner last month, according to his death certificate.
David Bissonnette, 38, died Nov. 22 at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He was being held at Northwest State Correctional Facility when medical staff determined he needed to be taken to the hospital.
Vermont State Police initially reported Bissonnette appeared to have died of a medical event.
A copy of Bissonnette’s death certificate reports that he died due to a bacterial infection that affected his heart, caused by years of intravenous substance abuse.
Bissonnette’s death is under investigation by the Vermont State Police and the defender general’s office, as is routine when a prisoner dies while in state custody.
