A man who used a machete to attack children and educators at a Pennsylvania elementary school in 2001 has died, officials said Monday.
William Stankewicz was found unresponsive in his cell at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas (SCI Dallas) early on Monday. He was pronounced dead at 7:41 a.m.
Pennsylvania State Police have been notified and will conduct an investigation, SCI Dallas said. The official cause of death will be determined by the Luzerne County Coroner’s Office.
The 78-year-old former history teacher was serving a 132- to 264-year sentence for a criminal homicide conviction in York County.
In early 2001, Stankewicz drove from his home in Johnson City, Tenn. to Red Lion, Penn., where he carried out the shocking attack.
On Feb. 2, 2001, Stankewicz walked into the North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary School near York, some 75 miles west of Philadelphia, armed with a 2-foot-long machete.
The incident wounded 11 kindergarten students and three adults — the principal and two teachers — who suffered injuries while trying to wrestle Stankewicz to the ground. The adults were eventually able to subdue him.
Principal Norina Bentzel, the most seriously hurt, broke her arm and suffered severe cuts during the struggle. She later forgave Stankewicz, the York Daily Record reported.
Some of the students had to be hospitalized, according to the York Dispatch.
Stankewicz pleaded no contest to charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and possessing weapons on school grounds.
During his trial, he said he carried out the school attack because he was angry about his divorce from his Russian-born wife. He accused his former spouse of lying to him just to obtain legal residency in the U.S.
Stankewicz had previously threatened to kill his ex-wife and her two daughters. After pleading guilty to charges of sending threatening letters to his former wife and lawyer, Stankewicz spent two years in federal prison.
With News Wire Services
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