Howard Kelley, convicted in the 2005 murder of Carrick High School sophomore Keith Watts Jr., died Saturday of a sudden and so-far-unexplained illness.

Luzerne County Coroner John Corcoran said there was no immediate indication of foul play, but his office ordered an autopsy because Mr. Kelley was an apparently healthy 25-year-old who died seven hours after being admitted to the hospital.

"We don't see anything suspicious, but it is unusual," Mr. Corcoran said.

Mr. Kelley was serving a life sentence in the State Correctional Institution Dallas, in Luzerne County, where he fell ill Friday. He was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital about 8 p.m. and died about 3 a.m. Saturday, Mr. Corcoran said.

He said samples are being sent out for laboratory tests to determine the cause of death, and results won't be available for at least a week. He said initial testing was done for the H1N1 flu virus and his office is about 75 percent sure it is not the culprit.

Mr. Corcoran said the matter is under state police investigation -- standard for a prison death -- and that because of the investigation he could not discuss Mr. Kelley's symptoms.

Mr. Kelley and two others were convicted in 2007 for the drive-by shooting of Mr. Watts, which was recorded by Carrick High School's surveillance cameras. The murder got widespread media attention and laid open a long-standing feud between residents of Beltzhoover and the St. Clair Village housing development.

Mr. Watts, who was 16, lived in Knoxville but had friends in St. Clair Village. Mr. Kelley lived in Mount Oliver but had friends in Beltzhoover.

Mr. Kelley was also convicted of assault for the prison beating of George Kevin Hooper later in 2007, when he was in the Allegheny County Jail awaiting a hearing. He testified later that Mr. Hooper attacked him over the Watts murder.

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