The Washington State Department of Corrections has confirmed a female prison guard at the Monroe Correctional Complex was murdered while on duty Saturday. Jayme Biendl was found dead at her post in the prison chapel. She had been strangled.
The 34-year-old’s body was found around 10:20 p.m. Attempts to revive Biendl failed and paramedics pronounced her dead at 10:49 p.m.
A Monroe inmate serving life in prison for rape is suspected in Biendl’s murder. Authorities say Byron Scherf was missing from a routine count at 9:14 p.m. Officers found him in the lobby of the chapel. Scherf, 52, reportedly confessed he planned to escape, but then changed his mind. Scherf is currently being held in a segregation unit.
The Monroe Correctional Complex was locked down on Sunday while authorities investigated Saturday’s events.
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