Epstein guard testimony deepens mystery of 'orange flash' seen before prison death

Former Manhattan Metropolitan Correctional Center corrections officer Tova Noel testified before the House Oversight Committee this week, offering new details about the night Jeffrey Epstein died in 2019—but left open unanswered questions about a cryptic image captured on surveillance footage that has fueled conspiracy theories, ABC News is reporting.Noel has remained a central figure in Epstein's death, having been accused of falsifying logs the night the convicted human trafficker died. Her involvement has made her a target for threats and speculation about whether she played a role in facilitating or covering up his death.In November 2019, Noel and another prison guard were accused of falsifying records to create the appearance they had completed routine rounds. Prosecutors alleged both officers spent most of their shifts at their desks browsing the internet instead, leaving inmates in the Special Housing Unit unchecked for eight hours until Epstein was discovered unresponsive in his cell.Both Noel—a National Guard veteran who served during Operation Enduring Freedom in Kuwait—and her colleague ultimately reached deals with prosecutors. Their cases were dropped in December 2021, the report notes.During her testimony, Noel addressed one of the most persistent mysteries surrounding Epstein's death: Department of Justice documents reveal that investigators observed an orange-colored shape moving up a staircase toward the isolated, locked tier where Epstein's cell was located at approximately 10:39 p.m. on August 9, 2019, according to a report from CBS News.Noel denied any knowledge of the unexplained orange flash. To be very honest, I don't know what it is, who it is. Because I never went back to the tier, and I was never carrying anything orange at all, and I never issued anything orange to anyone in the SHU -- not just only Epstein, just anyone, she said, according to the transcript.According to ABC News, she also disputed that the timing of the orange flash aligned with when she conducted her count that night.Beyond the mysterious footage, Noel shifted blame to systemic failures within the facility itself. She told lawmakers that the Metropolitan Correctional Center suffered from chronic understaffing and inadequate training, and that she was never properly trained to work in the unit where Epstein was housed.Acknowledging her own mistakes on the night of Epstein's death, Noel asked lawmakers for the opportunity to move forward and distance herself from her association with the disgraced sex offender.