Relatives of two men who died in Alaska custody tell lawmakers DOC failed to notify family, house unsafe placements

At a March 31 hearing of the Alaska House Judiciary Committee, relatives of two men who died after sustaining injuries while in or after confinement said the Department of Corrections (DOC) failed to protect the incarcerated and to notify families in a timely manner.

Robin Farmer, the twin sister of William Farmer, told the panel William "was murdered by his cellmate while in custody at the Anchorage Correctional Complex," and described a delayed family notification and restricted hospital visits. She said William was transferred to Providence Alaska Medical Center after a severe assault on Dec. 17, 2024, remained in critical condition and died on Jan. 6, 2025. "Why had we not been notified immediately?" Farmer asked, adding she learned by word of mouth rather than through DOC channels.

Elena Zimmerman, sister of Joshua Zimmerman, said the family was initially told by the DOC that "no foul play" was suspected after Joshua was found dead. Later, she said, state troopers told the family he had been "suffocated with a soft object in his cell." Zimmerman said the family has had "0 answers" more than a year after his Jan. 12, 2024 death and criticized what she described as conflicting accounts from DOC and law enforcement.

The testimony laid out several specific family concerns heard on the record: notification delays (the Farmer family said they were not informed for more than 24 hours), limits on hospital visitation and what relatives described as inconsistent application of DOC visitation rules, the use of restraints while an injured person was hospitalized, and slow processing of burial-assistance paperwork at the Department of Public Assistance.

Why it matters: The committee convened the hearing to examine a statewide rise in deaths in custody and the DOC’s response procedures. Families’ accounts put pressure on legislators to examine how the state classifies, investigates and reports deaths tied to jail or prison incidents.

Committee members followed the testimony with questions about how and when families are notified and how DOC determines whether an injured person remains a custody case when transferred to a hospital. Lawmakers and the families said they want clearer reporting and better communication when serious incidents occur.

The hearing continued with presentations from DOC, the Alaska State Troopers and outside experts. Committee chair Representative Gray acknowledged the sensitivity of the testimony and directed subsequent questions to agency witnesses who were scheduled to explain policies and investigative practices.

The committee did not take any votes during the hearing; members signaled they would use agency briefings and further oversight to evaluate whether policy or statutory changes are needed.