MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A sixth inmate has died at Wisconsin's oldest prison, the Waupun Correctional Institution, less than a year after criminal charges were brought against the facility's then-warden and several staff members for misconduct and felony inmate abuse. The state Department of Corrections reported that 23-year-old Damien Evans died on Tuesday. Details surrounding his death have not been disclosed, and efforts to reach a Corrections spokesperson were unsuccessful. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt confirmed that his agency is investigating the circumstances of Evans' death but has yet to provide additional information.
Evans had been serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery, which he received in 2019, along with an additional two years for bail jumping, to be served concurrently. His case was filed in Racine County. His death marks the sixth incident of an inmate dying in custody at Waupun since June 2023. Among these, two inmates died by suicide, one succumbed to a fentanyl overdose, while another died from a stroke. The fifth inmate, Donald Maier, died due to dehydration and malnutrition amid severe mental health issues, as he either refused or was not given necessary medication during the eight days leading up to his death in February 2024.
Criminal charges were brought against former warden Randall Hepp and eight staff members following the deaths of two inmates, Cameron Williams and Donald Maier. Hepp was charged with misconduct, while several staff members faced felony inmate abuse charges. Following the accusations, Hepp retired from his post. Reports indicate that Williams had been dead for at least 12 hours before being discovered after suffering a stroke.
In addition to these troubling events, federal investigators have been looking into an alleged smuggling operation involving employees at Waupun. The investigation has led to the suspension of nearly a dozen employees and resulted in a former prison worker pleading guilty to smuggling contraband, including cellphones, tobacco, and drugs into the prison for financial gain.
The ongoing crisis at Waupun has prompted inmates to file a class-action lawsuit, claiming mistreatment and inadequate healthcare. The maximum-security prison, established in the 1850s, has faced increasing calls from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers to be closed down, though concerns about job losses in the local community and the financial implications of building a new facility have hindered progress.
In response to the issues surrounding Waupun, Governor Tony Evers proposed a $500 million multi-tiered plan aimed at reforming the state's prison system. His proposal includes transforming Waupun into a medium-security center that would emphasize job training for inmates, seeking to address the systemic problems plaguing the institution.
As investigations into inmate deaths continue and the focus on prison reform intensifies, the fate of Waupun Correctional Institution remains uncertain, underscoring broader issues within the correctional system in Wisconsin.
