The Vermont Department of Corrections says a 39-year-old inmate has died in a Mississippi prison facility owned and operated by CoreCivic.

Officials said Monday that Christopher Chase died of an apparent suicide in his cell at the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility.

Chase was serving a sentence of 20 years to life after pleading guilty to second degree murder in his girlfriend’s killing in Vermont.

He’s been incarcerated since September 2008 and has been housed in an out-of-state, privately run prison since 2010. He was assigned to the general population living unit.

The Vermont defender general’s office has been notified and the health services director will conduct an administrative and clinical review of Chase’s death.