Newly released Department of Justice records reveal an unexplained orange-colored figure moving toward Jeffrey Epstein’s cell at approximately 10:39 p.m. on August 9, 2019—the night the financier died.

The footage, captured by a surveillance camera at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, shows a shape ascending stairs to Epstein’s tier during a time when no one should have been present outside of his cell. This observation was documented in an internal log but not reported by authorities in their official accounts of the incident.

Investigations into the night of Epstein’s death indicate that two corrections officers assigned to his unit, Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, admitted falling asleep during shifts. They also failed to complete required inmate counts and wellness checks for Epstein. Thomas stated he discovered Epstein at around 6:30 a.m. on August 10 but could not recall removing the noose from around his neck.

Additional records show that a one-minute segment of surveillance footage released by the FBI in July was later confirmed to be present in unedited versions held by the Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice Inspector General. Attorney General Pam Bondi previously attributed this gap to camera resets, but evidence indicates it was omitted from the public release.

The full video with the missing minute has not been made available to the public, raising questions about transparency in the investigation into Epstein’s death.