An active investigation is underway after a man sentenced to life behind bars for murder was killed over the weekend at the Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City, according to the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Thomas LaPerch was sentenced to life after a jury convicted him a killing another man and setting the man's house on fire in Golden back in 2014. LaPerch, who was 24 when he was sentenced, was convicted of killing 57-year-old William Burchett by a jury in April 2016.
According to a news release from the Department of Corrections, LaPerch and a yet unidentified inmate got into a "serious" fight that sent LaPerch to a local hospital Saturday. On Sunday, LaPerch died from his injuries.
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The Colorado Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General is looking into the attack. There was another killing behind bars at Buena Vista Correctional Facility that is believed to be unrelated, DOC said.
No further details about LaPerch's killing will be released at this time, DOC said.
According to prosecutor's in LaPerch's criminal case, he'd started subletting the lower level of the home Burchett lived in, but within days of moving in, Burchett reportedly became uncomfortable with the arrangement.
Prosecutors said in 2016 that LaPerch was offered back the money he'd already paid, plus a couple hundred dollars, to move out.
LaPerch reportedly refused.
On March 15, 2014, firefighters found Burchett dead in the bedroom of the burning home. He'd been stabbed more than 20 times and an empty bottle of kerosene was found nearby.
LaPerch was serving life after being convicted on charges of murder, arson and criminal mischief.
