New questions arise about his death Jeffrey Epstein A former prison guard told congressional investigators she was not the unidentified person who approached his cell the night before his death.Tova Noel, a former correctional officer at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, testified before the House Oversight Committee that she could not explain the orange figure captured on surveillance video near Epstein’s housing unit on the night of Aug. 9, 2019.At around 10:39 p.m., the man was seen moving up the stairs toward Epstein’s cell level, the last known person or object recorded approaching the area before the convicted sex offender was found dead the next morning.“To be honest, I don’t know what it was or who it was because I never went back to that level, I never carried anything orange, I never issued anything orange to anyone in the SHU — not just Epstein, but anyone,” Noel told investigators, referring to the special housing unit where Epstein was held.The testimony adds another layer of uncertainty to a case that has fueled conspiracy theories for years. Epstein’s death in August 2019 was officially ruled a suicide, but questions remain surrounding the circumstances inside the prison on the night of his death.According to previous investigations, neither the FBI nor the Justice Department asked Noel about the mysterious figure. The U.S. Department of Justice inspector general’s report suggested the shape was likely that of Noel, although no evidence was publicly presented to support that conclusion. An FBI log also raised the possibility that the man could be another prisoner, a highly unusual situation.Investigators have long faced challenges due to technical glitches inside the prison. Most of the facility’s surveillance cameras were not recording that night due to a hard drive failure. The only footage available is from a camera located in a common area, which shows a limited view of the stairs leading to Epstein’s unit.Noel admitted during her testimony that she did not perform mandatory checks on the inmates that night. However, she denied any involvement in Epstein’s death. She also said she had no idea who Epstein was when he arrived at the unit or any special restrictions or monitoring requirements associated with his detention.Lawmakers also questioned Noel about a series of 12 cash deposits that began in 2018 and were deposited into his bank account. She declined to disclose the source of the money but rejected any suggestion that the deposits were linked to Epstein.Noel also denied knowledge of allegations that she and another officer received a $6,500 payment to allow a man named Michael Rose to enter Epstein’s cell and kill him. Her attorney said Noel chose to voluntarily testify because she wanted to help provide answers in the high-profile case.
