Death of Bradenton man in Florida prison under investigation

BRADENTON -- An investigation is underway after a Bradenton man died from an apparent drug overdose while incarcerated at a Florida prison.

Joseph J. Murphy, 45, died March 4 at the Okeechobee Correctional Institution. The active investigation of his death is being conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement with the assistance of the Office of Inspector General.

Murphy had been serving a 15-year sentence since Oct. 14, 2004, for convictions on three counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling and one count possession of burglary tools.

Okeechobee Correctional Institution houses 1,632 men in close, community, minimum or medium-level security.

A family member said the warden called to tell him his stepson had died from an apparent drug overdose.

"I am just concerned if they are covering up something because they were treating him in medical, they put him back in general and two days later he's dead," Greg Koellhoffer said.

Murphy hurt his back and his requests to be taken to the medical unit were repeatedly denied, Koellhoffer said.

Finally, after Koellhoffer and other family members called the prison, Murphy was taken to the medical unit.

Tests revealed Murphy had torn a muscle or a tendon, his stepfather said. He was given a wheelchair and remained in the medical unit for two weeks. He was then given a walker and placed back into the general population.

Two days later, Koellhoffer said, he got the call his stepson was dead.

He was told his stepson's roommate said Murphy had snorted some sort of pills.

His stepson had a history of drug abuse.

"Absolutely, yes, that's why he is was in there," Koellhoffer said.

Yet, the timing of his death concerns him, he said.

Murphy had just met his new granddaughter and was excited about making plans for his release.

"He was not a bad kid. He just had a drug problem," Koellhoffer said.

Prior to his most recent prison sentence, Murphy had been in and out of prison four other times for convictions that include grand theft, possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in stolen property, escape and larceny.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement report, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 11:15 PM with the headline "Death of Bradenton man in Florida prison under investigation ."