The New York State Commission of Correction is investigating a death at the Broome County Jail.

The sheriff's office reported Erford Ellis, 70, died of a heart attack on Thursday. Ellis had been in jail awaiting further court action on assault and menacing charges, according to Sheriff David Harder.

This is the third death in the past three years at the jail. 

Kevin Carroll, 34, died following a stay in the hospital in September of 2016, and Salludin Barton, 35, was found dead in his cell in January of 2015.

The deaths previously sparked protests about jail conditions, but during past interviews, Sheriff David Harder revealed that both inmates who died were terminally ill before arriving at the correctional facility.