Maryland State Police are investigating the death of Larry Horton, 51, an inmate at North Branch Correctional Institution in Allegany County, discovered unresponsive in his cell on January 10, 2026. Authorities have identified a fellow inmate as a potential suspect, though the suspect’s name has not been released. An autopsy will determine the official cause of death.
The incident marks the second death linked to inmate violence at the maximum-security facility within a month. On December 21, 2025, Jordan Polston, 32, was allegedly killed in his cell by another inmate. A third inmate, Elias Alvarado, died at the same prison in July 2025 under circumstances previously investigated as a possible homicide.
Horton was serving a life sentence for a 2011 murder in Baltimore County, with his case still in the appeals process as of November 2025, according to Maryland Case Search records. He was found unresponsive shortly before 11:30 p.m. on January 10, and emergency medical services personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. Maryland State Police issued a statement confirming the investigation but provided no further details on the circumstances.
North Branch Correctional Institution, located at 14100 McMullen Highway, S.W. in Cumberland, houses some of Maryland’s most serious offenders. The facility has seen multiple inmate deaths under investigation in recent months, contributing to broader concerns about violence in the state’s correctional system.
This follows the December 21, 2025, death of Polston, who was discovered unresponsive in his cell early that Sunday morning. State police were contacted by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Internal Investigative Unit, and preliminary information indicated foul play, with a suspect identified. Polston had been serving a 20-year sentence, with all but four years suspended, for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Earlier in 2025, the facility recorded the death of Elias Alvarado in July, prompting a homicide investigation by Maryland State Police. These cases highlight ongoing challenges at North Branch, which has reported more inmate deaths under investigation than other Maryland prisons in recent periods.
Maryland State Police continue to work with correctional officials on both the Horton and Polston cases, awaiting autopsy results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for definitive causes of death. No charges have been announced in the latest incident.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available from official sources.