A CBS News investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s final night alive has identified two previously unacknowledged anomalies caught on surveillance footage from the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), where Epstein died on August 10, 2019. The findings include the appearance of a mystery third person inside a restricted area of the prison, and a mysterious “orange shape” ascending the stairs toward Epstein’s cell hours before his death.
According to CBS, these elements raise significant questions about the Department of Justice’s official conclusions and contradict certain claims made by both DOJ officials and former corrections officers. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) responded to the investigation but said its overall findings remain unchanged.
Only a sliver of the staircase that led to Jeffrey Epstein’s cell was visible to a security camera. Still, a grainy orange shape can be seen ascending the stairs in Epstein’s direction the night of his death
Also read: FBI locates ‘Missing Minute’ in Jeffrey Epstein Jail Tape. Here’s what it reveals
Unidentified third person seen inside Special Housing Unit
CBS News obtained footage showing an unidentified person inside the Special Housing Unit (SHU) of the MCC around 4:00 a.m. on August 10, roughly two hours before Epstein’s body was discovered. This individual was not mentioned in the DOJ’s final report.Tova Noel, one of the guards on duty, previously stated that a physical key was required to enter that part of the prison, and that only she and fellow officer Michael Thomas had access. CBS noted that footage from the guard station, a floor below Epstein’s cell, shows the mystery individual moving within the SHU without any guard appearing to unlock a door, contradicting Noel’s statements.
The prison cell of Jeffrey Epstein following his suicide at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York
The camera, according to CBS, did not have full coverage of the staircase leading to Epstein’s unit. Therefore, it remains unclear if the individual accessed Epstein’s cell block.
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Experts dispute DOJ over ‘orange shape’ on staircase
Footage also shows a grainy orange figure ascending the staircase to Epstein’s cell at 10:40 p.m. on August 9. Federal investigators previously stated this was a corrections officer carrying linen or inmate clothing. However, video forensics experts cited by CBS disagree.
“It’s more likely it’s a person in an [orange] uniform,” said Conor McCourt, a retired NYPD sergeant and forensic video specialist, suggesting the figure could have been an inmate in a jumpsuit. Another expert, Jim Stafford, added: “To say that there’s no way that someone could get to that, the stairs up to his room, without being seen is false.” CBS reported that four other video experts also questioned the official account.
Getty ImagesDonald Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has been under intense scrutiny this month
The figure’s movement was the last recorded approach to Epstein’s cell prior to his death.
Surveillance footage criticized for missing minute, screen capture evidence
Further scrutiny has been applied to the video itself. CBS reported that footage previously described by the DOJ as “raw” included an onscreen menu and cursor, indicating it was a screen recording, not original footage. Additionally, a “missing minute” occurred just before midnight on August 9, when the nearest security camera reportedly went dark.
Attorney General Pam Bondi attributed the missing time to a nightly reset of an outdated security system, but a high-level source told CBS that unedited versions of the video exist and do not contain the missing minute.
The DOJ and FBI reiterated in a July 7 memo that Epstein died by suicide, and no “Epstein list” of alleged co-conspirators exists. However, critics, including Epstein’s brother Mark and various political figures, have continued to push alternative theories, pointing to inconsistencies in surveillance coverage and the failure of guards to conduct required 30-minute checks.
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OIG maintains findings despite new analysis
A sign was put up inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center’s Special Housing Unit that ordered guards to check on Jeffrey Epstein every 30 minutes, as he was on suicide watch. The night of his death, more than eight hours passed between checks, the government says
In response to the CBS report, the DOJ’s Office of Inspector General issued a statement:
“The OIG appreciates the careful review of our report. Our comprehensive assessment of the circumstances over the weeks, days, and hours before Epstein’s death included the effects of the longstanding, chronic staffing crisis in the [Bureau of Prisons] and the BOP’s failure to provide and maintain quality camera coverage within its facilities. As CBS notes, nothing in its analysis changed or modified the OIG’s conclusions or recommendations.”
White House officials under the current Donald Trump administration and officials from former President Joe Biden administrations continue to support the conclusion that Epstein died by suicide. Despite this, the CBS findings have reignited debate over the security breakdowns and unresolved anomalies that continue to cloud public understanding of Epstein’s death.
