An accused killer, who was charged with the murder of a young Sydney teacher in 2022, has been found dead in his prison cell.
Ashley Gaddie, 35, was found dead in his cell at Clarence Correctional Centre on Saturday afternoon.
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It’s understood he took his own life at the weekend, about 16 months after the alleged murder of Dannielle Finlay-Jones, 31, at Cranebrook, in Sydney’s far west.
Serco, the operator of the maximum security prison, confirmed the inmate’s death in a statement.
“A 35-year-old man has died at Clarence Correctional Centre on Saturday, 6 April 2024,” a spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au.
“The man was found unresponsive in his room by staff and was pronounced deceased at 4.04pm.”
Serco, Corrective Services NSW, and NSW Police are investigating the incident.
“All deaths in custody are subject to a coronial inquest,” they said.
At the time of his death, Gaddie was behind bars charged with the murder of Finlay-Jones, who was found dead inside a Cranebrook home on Sunday, December 18, 2022.
Police say they believe Finlay-Jones and Gaddie, who had recently started seeing each other after meeting online, had spent the previous night together at a Cranbrook home before Gaddie left in the morning.
After Finlay-Jones’s body was found on the Sunday afternoon, a manhunt ensued for Gaddie, which came to a head two days later in the Blue Mountains at Fletchers Lookout.
Gaddie was found on the wrong side of safety barriers at the lookout, and police requested the assistance of specialist police resources.
Police negotiators engaged with Gaddie and he was arrested.
He was taken to Katoomba Police Station, where he was charged with murder.
Finlay-Jones worked as a teacher and was a long-time member of the Ramsgate RSL Football Club.
“Dannielle was a beautiful person, a life member of the club who was much loved and very well respected not only within our immediate football community but also throughout the Football St George association” the club said.
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