Died in prison

Jess Ellsworth Whitsel

77 years old · died April 17, 2026 · Iowa State Penitentiary, Lee County, Iowa

Jess Ellsworth Whitsel, 77, of Marion, died on April 17, 2026, at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, according to a press release from the Iowa Department of Corrections. The department has not stated a cause of death.

Cause of death, as reported: Cause not yet determined

Sources (2)

Death of inmate Whitsel reported in Fort Madison Iowa Department of Corrections, press release, April 21, 2026
Marion man dies while serving life sentence for sexual abuse, kidnapping of Cedar Rapids woman in 1981 The Gazette, April 23, 2026

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