William Barrett, 63, who was incarcerated at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield, died Thursday morning, according to Vermont State Police.
“The death does not appear to be suspicious and is suspected to be the result of a medical event,” police said in a press release.
Barrett, of Brattleboro, was found unresponsive in his cell around 8:30 a.m., according to police, and was pronounced dead after life-saving measures were attempted.
Following deaths of people held in Vermont’s prisons, state police, the Defender General’s Office and the Vermont Department of Corrections each conduct investigations. The state police investigation is ongoing.
Police said “Barrett had been in custody since 2024 on charges of sexual assault of a victim under the age of 16,” among other charges. Court records indicate he pleaded guilty to the sexual assault charge in November.
