Kansas inmate serving time for murder, kidnapping convictions, dies in Lansing prison

An inmate held at Lansing Correctional Facility died Saturday, the Kansas Department of Corrections said.

Officials identified the man as Eric Avila, 51, who was serving a prison sentence of more than 20 years for convictions on kidnapping and second-degree murder charges, according to a news release from prison officials.

Avila was found unresponsive in his cell and was pronounced dead by medical responders after attempts at life-saving measures were unsuccessful, KDOC said.

Avila’s cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy. KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation are investigating the death.

Avila was sentenced in January 2013 in Sedgwick County, according to state records.

Avila was convicted of fatally stabbing his girlfriend, Alina Burkman, 35, in a parking lot at a south Wichita Kmart in a dispute after the two had been evicted from a hotel in March 2012, according to reporting from the Wichita Eagle.

Avila pleaded no contest to the murder and kidnapping charges and pleaded guilty to an unrelated vehicle burglary charge. He was sentenced to 24 years and a month in prison, the newspaper reported.

This story was originally published February 26, 2024 at 12:49 PM.