A 40-year-old inmate at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia was found unresponsive in his cell last Friday, and state investigators are now treating the case as a homicide. The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) identified the man as Joshua McGehee and said corrections staff, along with emergency responders, tried to revive him at the scene before he was pronounced dead. Michigan State Police detectives have opened a homicide investigation, which remains ongoing.
State police open homicide probe
Corrections staff discovered McGehee unresponsive in his cell, and paramedics later pronounced him dead after attempts at life-saving measures, according to CBS Detroit. Michigan State Police confirmed that detectives are handling the death as a homicide investigation and are working with the MDOC and the Ionia County prosecutor as they move the case forward.
Prison record and sentence
State prison records show McGehee pleaded no contest in a 2019 robbery case and, in July 2020, received a sentence that could run up to 25 years, reporting by the Detroit Free Press states. Officials have not released any public information about the cause of death while both an autopsy and the criminal investigation are still pending.
About Bellamy Creek
Bellamy Creek is a multi-level men’s state prison in Ionia that houses Level I, II and IV units and operates education, substance-abuse and mental-health programs, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. The facility, which opened in 2001, lists its address as 1727 West Bluewater Highway.
Legal next steps
Michigan State Police Special Lt. Pat Agema told reporters the death is being treated as a possible homicide but declined to share specifics while the autopsy and criminal inquiry are underway. Prosecutors will decide whether any charges are appropriate once the investigation is further along, according to The Detroit News. Authorities have not publicly named any suspects.
The MDOC and Michigan State Police say they plan to release more details as the investigation develops. We will update this story as officials provide additional information.
