Description:
This plugin stores a player's inventory in a chest on death for later retrieval. It has many options, but configuration and use has been kept as simple as possible.

Features:

• Places a single or double chest at player's death location containing the player's inventory
• Optional sign placement on chest, showing player name and death date
• Configurable list of block types that chests can replace
• WorldGuard, GriefPrevention, PreciousStones and Towny aware, will not place a chest where the player does not have access. Enabled individually.
• Option to check protection plugins on chest access. Enabled individually, disabled by default.
• Searches a configurable distance from death location to find a suitable chest location
• Optionally require players to have chest(s) in inventory
• Empty chests removed on close
• Chest protection allows only owners access. Also makes chests explosion proof!
• Optionally allow player's killer to access their chest, for pvp looting
• Prevent concurrent access to chests when killer looting is enabled
• Optional quick-loot feature allows one click (sneak-punch) chest looting
• Configurable expiration time for death chests, at which point they will break and drop their contents
• Custom messages and language localization
• Per world enabled in configuration
• Uses sqlite for persistent storage
• Optionally prevent creative mode players from opening death chests
• Optionally prevent players from placing items in death chests
• Optional sound effects!
• A perfect compliment to SavageDeathCompass and SavageGraveyards

Commands:
/deathchest list [player]
Lists deathchests and their locations. Requires deathchest.list permission for viewing own deathchests; deathchest.list.other for viewing other players deathchests. Substitute an asterisk ( *) to list all deathchests.

/deathchest reload
Reloads configuration file and messages. Requires deathchest.reload permission.

/deathchest status
Displays version info and config settings. Requires deathchest.status permission.

Default User Permissions:
deathchest.player
Default player permissions. Default: true. Includes all of the following player permissions:

deathchest.chest
Enable death chests for player. Default: true.

deathchest.loot
Allows player to quick-loot death chests by sneak-punching. Default: true.

deathchest.doublechest
Allows placement of double chests if necessary. Default: true.

Default Administrator Permissions:
deathchest.admin
Default administrator permissions. Default: op. Includes all of the following admin permissions:

deathchest.freechest
Overrides require-chest configuration setting. Default: op.

deathchest.creative-access
Overrides creative mode chest opening restriction. Default: op.

deathchest.loot.other
Allow player to loot other player's chests. Default: op.

deathchest.reload
Allows use of plugin reload command. Default: op.

deathchest.status
Allows use of plugin status command. Default: op.

deathchest.list
Allows use of list command command. Default: op.

deathchest.list.other
Allows use of list command for other player's deathchests. Default: op.

Installation
Put the jar in your plugins folder and restart your server. Edit the generated configuration file to include the worlds in which you would like death chests enabled, and adjust any other settings, then reload with /deathchest reload command.

Configuration
All configuration changes can be made without needing to restart your server. Just issue the reload command when you are satisfied with your settings in config.yml.

Source
Source code for this plugin is hosted on github and distributed under the GPLv3 license.
https://github.com/tim-savage/SavageDeathChest