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Death investigation of inmate at Southern State Correctional Facility, police say

In Springfield, VT, police say inmate Robert Labonte, 60, died of apparent natural causes at Southern State Correctional Facility on December 24, 2025.

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According to police reports, Vermont State Police are investigating the death of a 60-year-old inmate at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield. Robert Labonte, a resident of Enosburgh, was reported to have been taken to Springfield Hospital on December 24, 2025, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Police say that emergency medical staff attempted to revive Labonte, but he could not be saved. Detectives from the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations have been called to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Initial findings suggest that Labonte may have died from natural causes, and there are currently no indications of foul play. An autopsy is scheduled to take place at the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington to establish the official cause and manner of death.

Labonte had been incarcerated since 2003. Further updates on the investigation will be provided by Vermont State Police as new information becomes available. The charges related to the investigation are still pending, and legal proceedings may evolve as the case continues.

Source: Vermont State Police

About this report AI-assisted

Source: Vermont State Police ↗

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