Overview

• A captain and an officer found the man unresponsive in his cell at 12:25 a.m., and he was pronounced dead at 12:58 a.m., according to the Department of Correction.
• The deceased was identified in reporting as 29-year-old Ardit Billa, who had pending assault, weapons, and burglary-related charges, city officials and court records show.
• The Department said it notified the federal monitor, the Board of Correction, the State Attorney General’s Office, the City Department of Investigation, the State Commission of Correction, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, and local district attorneys.
• Some outlets cite this as the 10th death in DOC custody this year, while others list nine in custody plus one death shortly after release, reflecting differing tallies.
• The case adds to mounting concerns over safety at Rikers, with a new City Council notification law now in effect and longstanding questions about meeting the 2027 closure mandate.