Jeffrey Epstein is still making headlines six years after his death. The late disgraced financier and convicted child sex offender’s death has been challenged by conspiracy theorists, who claimed that the jail surveillance footage outside of Epstein’s cell wasn’t reliable. Furthermore, his autopsy report raised eyebrows. So, what really happened to Epstein when he died?
Epstein’s former confidante Ghislaine Maxwell fueled the conspiracy theories when she shared how she thinks he died.
“In prison, where I am, they will kill you, or they will pay — somebody can pay a prisoner to kill you for $25 worth of commissary,” Maxwell said, according to the transcripts and recordings from her conversation with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “But I don’t know of any reason why, and I don’t believe in the blackmail or in any of this, I don’t think Epstein had a hit on like that. If it is indeed murder, I believe it was an internal situation.”
Learn what we know about Epstein’s death below.
What Was Jeffrey Epstein’s Official Cause of Death?
Epstein’s official cause of death was ruled to be suicide by hanging using a bedsheet, most likely using the top bunk of his bed and pitching himself forward to hang, according to law enforcement. However, conspiracy theorists have challenged this.
On August 10, 2019, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York City. The Bureau of Prisons said that Epstein was given life-saving measures immediately after he was found, and first responders took him to a hospital. He was pronounced dead that day.
The Department of Justice’s Inspector General’s investigation criticized prison guards and officials, alleging negligence, misconduct, and outright job performance failures” in Epstein’s death, according to multiple outlets.
On the night of Epstein’s death, prison officials did not check on him every 30 minutes. The two guards assigned to Epstein’s cell fell asleep and failed to check on him for around three hours. Moreover, they falsified records to hide their mistake, according to The New York Times.
What Did Epstein’s Autopsy Report Reveal?
Epstein’s autopsy report sparked doubt about his manner of death. Dr. Michael Baden was in the room for Epstein’s autopsy, and he raised questions about the fractures in his larynx and hyoid bone, calling those “extremely unusual in suicidal hangings” and aligning with “homicidal strangulation.”
“There’s evidence here of homicide that should be investigated, to see if it is or isn’t homicide,” Baden said, per PBS. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson, who conducted the autopsy, said she stood “firmly” behind her findings of Epstein’s death.
Were There Signs of Foul Play in Epstein’s Injuries?
As Baden indicated, the injuries to his larynx (located between the throat and the windpipe) and hyoid bone (between between the base of a person’s mandible and their third cervical vertebra) appeared to be signs of foul play.
However, this wasn’t the first time that Epstein tried to kill himself. On July 23, 2019, weeks before his death, Epstein was found semiconscious in his jail cell on the floor with marks on his neck. He was placed on suicide watch. Less than a week later, prison officials took him off of suicide watch and put him in a special housing unit.
Did Jail Surveillance Footage Malfunction?
After conspiracy theorists claimed there was a one-minute gap in Epstein’s surveillance footage, the Department of Justice released the footage in 2025. It only showed the outside of Epstein’s cell the night he died, but no one was seen entering or exiting it.
Who Was Epstein’s Cellmate & What Did He Say?
Epstein’s cellmate in July 2019 was former New York City police officer Nicholas Tartaglione, who was awaiting trial on four counts of murder. Tartaglione was not in the cell where Epstein died, and he was cleared of any involvement in Epstein’s first apparent attempt at suicide.
Epstein was supposed to have a cellmate with him after being moved into a special housing unit. However, that didn’t happen.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Elisabeth McGowan
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