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An autopsy has declared a 25-year-old Utah State Prison inmate's death last fall a homicide, with both injuries from a fight with another inmate and pepper spray deployed by guards contributing factors.

Department of Corrections spokeswoman Brooke Adams said the State Medical Examiner's Office noted that while "the manner of death is homicide," the autopsy also found the specific "cause of death is cardiopulmonary arrest following physical altercation and pepper spray exposure."

Adams could not comment further Wednesday on the death of Christopher Lee Lucas, since internal DOC and an independent probe by Unified Police Department were ongoing.

On Sept. 13, 2014, guards saw Lucas and another inmate fighting in a cell. After the inmates refused orders to stop, pepper spray was used on both men. As the officers were escorting Lucas out of the cell, however, he collapsed. Lucas was rushed to the hospital but later died.

In addition to the prison and UPD investigations, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the incident.

Four DOC officers involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave, but returned to work after about two weeks following an initial investigation that determined the use of force to stop the assault was appropriate.

The other inmate in the altercation was placed in maximum security after the incident.

Lucas was serving a 1-to-15-year sentence for forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and had been at the prison since June 19, 2009.

During his time at the prison, Lucas had also been convicted of breaking a fire sprinkler head and assaulting and seriously injuring another prisoner in 2011.

Twitter: @remims