LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A 63-year-old Nebraska prisoner has died of what appears to be natural causes, corrections officials said Friday.
John Funaro died shortly after 11 a.m. at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, according to the state Department of Correctional Services.
Funaro was serving a 15- to 20-year sentence for charges in Webster and Buffalo counties that included multiple counts of theft and burglary. He began serving his sentence on Aug. 1, 2016.
The case does not appear to be connected to the global COVID-19 pandemic. A corrections department spokeswoman said no inmates or staff members are believed to have the virus. The department said in a press release that Funaro had been treated for long-term medical conditions.
Investigators are planning an autopsy. A grand jury will investigate the death, a routine step when an inmate dies in custody.