Umatilla Oldest Death Row Inmate Dies of Natural Causes

The oldest death row inmate in Oregon died of natural causes Monday in Umatilla. His name was Mark Allen Pinnell and he died of natural causes according to news reports. Pinnell has been in jail since being convicted of robbery in 1985 and then later charged with six counts of aggravated murder and two counts of murder in the death of John Wallace Ruffner in Tualatin in 1985. Then he was convicted and sentenced to death. He has been on death row since 1992.

Correction officials say next of kin have been notified.