A man serving life for a 2011 murder in Seminole was found dead in his cell at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester last weekend.

Christian Farris, who was convicted in 2012 by a Seminole County jury for the murder of fifty- year-old Alvin Walker of McCloud, was discovered deceased in his cell on Sunday, Dec. 22.

While family members are claiming on social media that Farris was murdered, Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) officials say the cause of death is still under investigation.

“The facts and circumstances of this incident are under investigation. We cannot confirm a cause of death at this point,” ODOC Administrator of Marketing and Public Relations Lance West said Thursday.

Farris was originally arrested Jan. 5, 2011 as a suspect in Walker’s murder, who was found dead the previous day in the 500 block of West College, near the former high school building. After an interview by Seminole police and agents with the OSBI, Farris was taken to the Seminole City Jail where he escaped during the book-in process.

A multi-agency manhunt, in which planes and helicopters were utilized, ensued across Seminole County. Farris was eventually captured by two “good Samaritans” in downtown Seminole. News reports from the time say Farris tripped and fell and was detained by Thomas Frumson and another unidentified man until deputies arrived.

In February 2012, after about four hours of deliberation, Farris was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. On a second count, escape from arrest or detention, the jury found Farris guilty, and imposed a sentence of two years and a fine of $1,000.

Farris was 19 years old at the time of his incarceration. His obituary appears on page two of this edition.

The Oklahoma State Penitentiary, nicknamed “Big Mac,” is a prison located in McAlester on 1,556 acres. Opened in 1908 with 50 inmates in makeshift facilities, today the prison holds more than 750 male offenders, the vast majority of which are maximum-security inmates. They also hold many death row prisoners.