Vermont man dies in custody

The Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield seen on Friday, October 25, 2024. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

" data-large-file="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/springfield-prison-4-20241025-1200x798.jpg" /> The Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield seen on Friday, October 25, 2024. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

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A Vermont man died in custody at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield Sunday.

Trevis Gembarowski, 44, from Newfane, was taken into custody on Saturday, Sep. 26 and died the following day, according to a press release from the Vermont Department of Corrections. He had a medical event on Sunday morning, and correctional and medical staff began emergency medical response procedures, according to the release.

Officials did not release the reason that Gembarowski was detained.

Gembarowski was pronounced dead later in the day. The release said the death is not considered suspicious.

When reached over phone and email, Tracy Velazquez at the Department of Corrections declined to comment on the situation.

The Vermont Department of Corrections often houses detained individuals with specific medical needs at the Springfield facility since the facility has a hospice unit and the largest infirmary in the state.

Gembarowski’s death follows two deaths of individuals incarcerated in Vermont two days apart in March. VTDigger found that there were four deaths in custody reported in 2026 as of March 30. Nine people died in custody in Vermont in 2025.

The Vermont State Police and Defender General’s Prisoners’ Rights Office were alerted to the death, the release said, as is required by Vermont state law.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Vermont man dies in custody.