Sarah Rahal
Detriot News
PARADISE TWP, Mich. — Two Michigan prison officers were found dead in their home near Kingsley Friday and state police are searching for answers.
Officers Tara Kelley and Angelina Winn served at the Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee, Michigan and “will be missed by many,” said Heidi Washington, director of the Michigan Department of Corrections, in a letter to employees.
The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Department, along with Michigan State Police, is investigating the incident that occurred at the home on Walton Road in Paradise Township.
It is unclear what occurred, however, Sheriff Thomas Bensley said, " At this time there is no reason to believe that there is a threat to the public.”
The investigation into the cause of death continues as officials await autopsy results, the sheriff’s department says.
Winn had worked for the department for 20 years and Kelley for 19 years. They both hired in at Pugsley Correctional Facility and moved to the Oaks in 2016.
Kelley is a graduate of the University of Michigan - Flint.
“Officers Tara Kelley and Angelina Winn were valued members of the team at the Oaks and will be missed by many,” Washington said. “Please keep the family and colleagues of these employees in your thoughts and prayers.”
Washington advised those who knew Winn and Kelley to speak with the department’s Wellness Unit after the sudden loss of their colleagues.