Authorities in Philadelphia have discovered the body of an inmate who escaped from a local prison nearly two weeks ago. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner has identified the body as that of 34-year-old Gino Hagenkotter, who escaped from the Riverside Correctional Facility on November 30. The body was found in a warehouse in the Kensington neighborhood on Monday afternoon. Hagenkotter was pronounced dead at the scene, but his identity had to be confirmed through fingerprint analysis as he had no identification on him.
The cause of Hagenkotter’s death has not been released yet. It is reported that he had escaped from a work detail at the orchard behind the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Facility by asking an officer to use the bathroom and then climbing a fence. Hagenkotter had been serving time for low-level crimes related to theft and burglary and was scheduled to be released from prison in April.
On the day of his escape, Hagenkotter was supposed to be transferred to a transitional program, but the transfer was canceled after officials discovered that he had open retail theft charges in Bucks County. It is believed that this discovery played a role in his decision to escape.
Hagenkotter’s escape and subsequent death mark the fourth instance of a prisoner escaping custody in Philadelphia this year. The incident raises concerns about the effectiveness of security measures in the city’s correctional facilities.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Hagenkotter’s escape and death is ongoing.
