Death of Keys Death Row inmate being probed as 'open and active criminal investigation'

One of three men on Florida's Death Row for Florida Keys murders died last week -- perhaps under unusual circumstances.

Lloyd Chase Allen, 69, was pronounced dead at 5 a.m. at the Reception and Medical Center in Lake Butler, according to the state Department of Corrections. He was convicted in the Nov. 13, 1991, stabbing death, robbery and kidnapping of Dortha Cribbs on Summerland Key.

Asked if Allen died from a disease or natural causes, Corrections' communications office would say only this: "The Florida Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General was notified and has become the investigatory authority in this case. As this is an open and active criminal investigation, this is all of the information available at this time."

Corrections said Death Row inmates are checked on every 30 minutes by a guard. There are also checks daily or weekly by a shift supervisor, security chief, warden or assistant warden, clinical health-care person, chaplain and classification officer.

Cribbs was found in her Summerland Key home with her throat slashed. Police say the motive was theft -- missing were her 1988 Ford Taurus, a $5,000 ring and $4,200 in cash. Allen was caught in California.

Allen was convicted in February 1993 and sentenced to death on March 3, 1993

This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 7:51 AM with the headline "Death of Keys Death Row inmate being probed as 'open and active criminal investigation'."