This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Florida Prisoner Brutally Killed And Mutilated By Fellow Inmate, Officials Say

An inmate at a facility near Jacksonville had his eyes gouged out and ear removed.

An inmate at a Florida prison who allegedly murdered his cellmate also gouged out the victim’s eyes and wore one of his ears on a makeshift necklace before officers were aware of the crime, The Miami Herald reported.

The attack is believed to have occurred on Thursday morning at the Columbia Correctional Institution Annex, with sources telling the Herald that the killer, who has not yet been identified, left his victim’s eyeballs in a cup with the intention of later eating or drinking them.

The slain inmate, identified by the Florida Department of Corrections as 58-year-old Larry Mark, was serving a life sentence for a murder committed in 1981.

Larry Mark, 58, who was serving a life sentence for murder, was killed in prison late last week, allegedly by his cellmate.
Florida Department of Corrections
Larry Mark, 58, who was serving a life sentence for murder, was killed in prison late last week, allegedly by his cellmate.

Citing several prison sources, the Herald reported that Mark’s cellmate had become angry at him for pestering him. The killer allegedly put his victim’s ear on a string around his neck and showed it off to several inmates as he made his way to the dining hall.

In a statement to HuffPost, the secretary for the Florida Department of Corrections, Julie Jones, said that “any loss of life at the hands of an inmate is intolerable.”

“We are working with our partners at FDLE [Florida Department of Law Enforcement] to investigate this death and ensure that everyone responsible is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” the statement read. “Florida corrections officers have an extremely difficult job, and we ask and expect a lot of them, despite the staffing challenges that exist at our institutions.”

The prison is about 50 miles west of Jacksonville.

This article has been updated to include a statement from the Florida Department of Corrections.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.