The Wrong Inmate Was Buried

Family Buries Wrong Man Due to Prison Mix-Up

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – An Oklahoma family that thought they had just buried a son who killed himself in prison received a phone call after returning from the funeral from the supposed dead man who said he was very much alive.

The relatives of Kevin Wyckoff, an inmate in Oklahoma’s Lexington Correctional Facility, were the victims of a case of mistaken identity, prison officials said on Tuesday.

The family was sent the body of another inmate of similar physical characteristics as their son. The two inmates had recently switched cells, which led to prison officials being confused about their identities, they said.

“On Friday, an inmate committed suicide by hanging himself. Our chart reflected it was Kevin Wyckoff who was supposed to be in that cell,” prison spokesman Jerry Massie said.

The inmate who was buried appears to be Steven Howe, Massie said. Howe was serving a sentence for driving under the influence and attempting to elude a police officer. Wyckoff is serving a sentence for assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping.

The body of the buried prisoner will be exhumed and then a medical examiner will confirm the identity, prison officials said.

The Wyckoff family has told reporters they are happy their son is still alive but they have a few questions for prison officials, including who will pick up the tab for the funeral.