Oregon prison inmate who killed six in 1977 dies in custody at Snake River prison

Dewitt C. Henry, an Oregon Department of Corrections adult in custody serving a life sentence, died on July 25 at Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario, according to the agency.

DOC said Henry was 75. He entered state custody on Dec. 19, 1979, from Klamath County.

The department said Oregon State Police were notified, as they are in all in-custody deaths, and the state medical examiner will determine the cause of death. DOC did not release a cause.

According to the Herald and News in Klamath Falls, Henry was responsible for one of Oregon’s deadliest mass shootings, a 1977 attack at a Klamath Falls nightclub that killed six people. The newspaper reported that the shooting remained the deadliest mass shooting in Oregon until the Umpqua Community College attack in 2015, which killed 10 people.

DOC said it is responsible for the care and custody of about 12,000 incarcerated people in 12 institutions across the state. Snake River Correctional Institution is a multi-custody prison in Ontario.

In-custody death investigations often turn on records that can change quickly, including medical findings and agency reports. Families seeking answers commonly look for the death investigation file, the medical examiner’s findings, and any notice sent by the agency.

Sources

1. Man who committed one of Oregon's deadliest mass shootings dies in custody (opens in a new tab) - KATU, 2026-07-28