One of two men doing time for beating a man to death during a marijuana grow rip in Surrey nearly four years ago was found dead in his prison cell Wednesday morning.
Darryl Cole, 44, an inmate at Kent Institution, was found dead at about 4 a.m. Foul play is not suspected, according to a news release from Kent, but an investigation is underway.
Cole was near the beginning of a 13-and-a-half-year sentence (minus four years served) for manslaughter for the 2007 beating death of Michael Gerald Larson in Surrey.
Cole and another man, Joshua Steve Holl, both pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced in February. The pair was among four people who were planning to rob a marijuana grow operation that Larson was taking care of in a home near 156 Street and 48 Avenue.
When they first broke into the home, Larson tried to run and was sprayed with pepper spray by Holl. Then Cole beat Larson with a bat until he was unconscious and he was tied up while the thieves stole what they wanted and left. Testimony at the trial indicated Larson may have survived had he received immediate medical attention.
Holl is currently serving an eight year sentence, minus four-and-a-half years for time served.
- with files from Jessica Peters