Federal Inmate Serving Life for Kidnapping and Murder Dies at Prison in Louisiana

POLLOCK, La. - A federal inmate serving life in prison for his role in a kidnapping and murder of an Arkansas man died on Monday after being found unresponsive at the U.S. Prison in Pollock, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons officials.

What Happened at USP Pollock on Sunday, August 2

Daniel Paul Blanks, 48, of California, was found unresponsive around 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the high-security federal prison.

READ MORE: New Orleans Resident Finds a Body in a Bag in Their Backyard

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, facility employees began lifesaving measures on Blanks and requested emergency medical services. He was transported by EMS to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead on Monday, August 3.

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Prison officials have not announced any suspected cause of death or additional information regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Daniel Blanks' Conviction and Sentence

Blanks had been at this facility since May 22, 2025, after a federal judge sentenced him to life imprisonment in April 2025. He was serving that sentence without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting kidnapping resulting in death in October 2024.

During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks cited Blanks' "affiliation with white supremacist groups as an aggravating factor supporting the imposition of a life sentence."