Kip Tate Identified After Fatal Accident at Cummins Unit in Gould, Arkansas on December 30, 2025

In late December, state officials confirmed the identity of an inmate who died following an accident at the Arkansas Department of Corrections facility in Gould. The death occurred on December 30, 2025, at the Cummins Unit, a prison complex located roughly 30 miles from Pine Bluff with a capacity of approximately 1,800 inmates. Authorities identified the deceased as Kip Tate, 54.

According to court records, Tate had been serving a 40-year sentence stemming from convictions in Drew County in 2002, including aggravated robbery, theft of property, and breaking or entering. Officials stated that a critical incident review was ordered by Director Dexter Payne and is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. No additional details regarding the circumstances of the accident have been released. Tate’s death marks the second reported inmate fatality at the Cummins Unit in 2025, following a separate homicide investigation earlier in the year.