GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Police are investigating the death of a Muskegon-area man at a prison in the Upper Peninsula as a homicide, the Michigan Department of Corrections says.
Visitation for Rodriguez Montez Burks was held Sunday in Muskegon.
He was found dead in his cell at the Alger Correctional Facility south of Munising on July 20. Authorities have not released the cause of his death, but say his bunkmate, whose name MDOC has not released, is the main suspect.
The Detroit Metro Times reports inmates at the prison say staff ignored requests from Burks and his cellmate to be separated. The prisoners told the paper the reason for the request was Burks’ sexual orientation — the bunkmate allegedly had a problem with Burks being gay.
An MDOC spokesperson confirmed to 24 Hour News 8 Sunday that there was a request for a new cellmate, but would not confirm Burks being gay was the reason.
Michigan State Police are investigating Burks’ death, MDOC said.
Burks, 23, was serving between two and 10 years in prison for fleeing police. He would have been eligible for parole in nine months.
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