At a demonstration that took place on May 23, 2025, at the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls, individuals were seen holding signs. South Dakota Searchlight, courtesy of John Hult
In the hands of the Department of Corrections, the state is conducting an investigation into another death.
The South Dakota State Penitentiary was the location where Nicholas Skorka, who was 42 years old, passed away on Tuesday, according to a press release.
There was no indication of Skorka’s cause of death in the press announcement.
He is the tenth person to pass away while in the custody of the department this year, and he is the fourth individual who will be scrutinized by the state Division of Criminal Investigation, which is the investigative arm of the Attorney General’s Office.
An overdose of “synthetic cannabinoid 5F-ADB,” one of the drugs that is frequently referred to as K2, was listed as the cause of death on the death certificate for one of the instances that was investigated.
The death certificate for Anthony Richards, who was 20 years old, was issued in February. Jason Garreau, who was 39 years old, and Joshua Arrow, who was 24 years old, both passed only a few days apart during the end of the previous month.
In contrast, Garreau’s death certificate was submitted just a week ago and identifies methamphetamine toxicity as the cause of his passing. Arrow’s official death certificate has not yet been submitted.
There was no indication in the release that Skorka’s death is being probed as possibly being tied to drugs. A postmortem examination of Skorka, whose body was discovered inside his cell, is scheduled to take place on Thursday.
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In the announcement, Attorney General Marty Jackley stated that the Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) will conduct a comprehensive investigation, and that we will determine what additional action is required based on the findings of that investigation.
Michael Winder, a spokesman for the Department of Corrections, issued a notice on May 29 stating that the department had successfully raided a drug ring that was operating at the correctional facility.
Its employees were able to confiscate packages that were given by visitors to inmates as well as shipments of drugs that were supposed to be transported to inmates in Sioux Falls through the mail.
As stated in the press statement issued on that particular day, “criminal charges will be sought” in the event that the findings of the investigation warrant prosecution.
In an interview with South Dakota Searchlight on Wednesday, Jackley’s spokesman Tony Mangan stated that no charges have been filed for any conduct related to the drug ring or murders that occurred while the individual was in custody.
