Killer serving a life sentence for the sadistic torture of a mother dies in his ...

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A two-time killer found lifeless in his prison cell a day after the anniversary of his remand could not face 'an eternity behind bars', an inquest has found.

John Edward Harris, 47, was found at the Townsville Correctional Facility on July 4, 2019.

Harris was serving a life sentence for the sadistic torture and murder of 28-year-old mother-of-four Tia Landers on June 16, 2014.

He was the sole occupant of his cell and showed no signs of self-harm leading up to his death.

A routine check at 8.40pm that night did not identify signs of stress and other inmates did not notice changes in his behaviour.

At the inquest into his death in custody, the court heard Harris was found 'cold, stiff and unresponsive' in the second inmate headcount at 4.52am.