Editor’s note: This story, first published in November, has been updated throughout to include new information the AJC obtained on homicides in state prisons.
In the past two years, at least 57 inmates of Georgia state prisons have been victims of homicides, according to records The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained. The total breaks down to 29 homicides in 2020 and 28 in 2021.
Many of the deaths were listed in the state’s death certificate database and specified the cause of death. Other deaths were classified by the Georgia Department of Corrections or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as homicides but causes of death have not yet been reported.
The 57 homicides for 2020-2021 nearly triple the total for 2018-2019, when 21 homicides in Georgia prisons were documented by the Department of Corrections. Fourteen of the homicides occurred in 2019 and seven in 2018.
Augusta State Medical Prison
Eddie Gosier, 39, May 2, 2020, ligature strangulation
Thomas Henry Giles, 31, Oct. 28, 2020, inhalation of products of combustion
Terry Lee Bennett II, 43, Jan. 10, 2021, blunt impact to the head
Ali Lamont Tanner, 45, July 2, 2021, stabbed
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Baldwin State Prison
Joshua Williams, 22, July 3, 2020, multiple sharp force injuries
Jose Martin Ibarra Garcia, 41, June 15, 2021, multiple stab wounds to the head
Edward McCloud, 40, July 23, 2021, sharp force injury to the neck
Jamari McClinton, 21, August 11, 2021, stabbed
Bedarius Clark, 26, August 21, 2021, homicide. Cause not reported.
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Central State Prison
Joshua Carl-Haynes Lester, 34, July 28, 2021, stab wound to the chest
Coastal State Prison
Kion Parks, 31, Sept. 15, 2021, stabbed
Rufus Lee, 27, Dec. 14, 2021, homicide. Cause not reported.
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Coffee Correctional Facility
Kendall Cromer, 31, Nov. 30, 2020, stab wound of the neck and chest
Georgia State Prison
Raul Bailon Garcia, 45, April 21, 2020, positional asphyxia and suffocation due to assault
Joctavious Artez Newsome, 25, Nov. 4, 2020, stab wound
Demetrius Stubbins, 38, Dec. 21, 2020, stab wound to the chest
Christopher Dewayne Mathis, 37, Feb. 26, 2021, blunt force trauma to head
Fabian Garcia-Mata, 27, Sept. 10, 2021, multiple stab wounds
Troy Harvey, 34, Sept. 12, 2021, stab wound of the chest.
Hancock State Prison
Cesar Arnold Pastrana Morales, 33, March13, 2020, stab wound of the chest
Rashad Bolton, 29, Jan. 4, 2021, puncture wound to the chest with sharp object
Dwayne Zackery Jr. 22, Feb. 12, 2021, stab wound to the chest with homemade knife
Hays State Prison
Anthony L. McGhee Jr., 34, March 29, 2020, complications of blunt force head trauma and sharp force trauma of torso and extremities
Jorge Renberto Ventura-Cabrera, 35, June 5, 2021, stab wounds of neck, torso and upper extremities
Johnson State Prison
Jerry Lee Brown, 61, Nov. 12, 2020, stab wounds to the head, blunt force injury to face
David Henegar, 44, Oct. 16, 2021, homicide. Cause not reported.
Credit: AJC File
Credit: AJC File
Macon State Prison
Johnny Eugene Young, 24, Jan. 27, 2020, sharp force injury of mouth/tongue
Rafael Blas Becerra, 36, March 7, 2020, stab wounds to the upper torso
Carrington Jwon Frye, 23, March 20, 2020, stab wounds of the neck and chest
David Dennis, 34, May 13, 2020, multiple sharp force injuries
Coty Dustin Silvers, 39, May 23, 2020, asphyxia
Bobby Edward Lee Jr., 38, July 13, 2020, ligature strangulation
Robbie B. Brower, 58, Oct. 4, 2020, blunt and sharp force injuries to the head and neck
Raul Villegas, 37, Dec. 13, 2020, homicide. Cause not reported.
Carlos Maurice Fisher Jr., 30, May 10, 2021, multiple sharp force injuries
Ryan Weston Darville, 37, Dec. 29, 2021, stab wounds of the chest.
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Phillips State Prison
David Stone, 61, Nov. 20, 2021, closed head trauma, delayed effects
Rutledge State Prison
Curtis Mincey, 74, July 22, 2021, blunt force trauma of the head, neck, torso and extremities
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Smith State Prison
Taylor Harrison Brooks, 26, April 10, 2020, multiple stab wounds
John Bretleir Reyes Cardona, 24, April 20, 2020, exsanguination from stab wound to neck
Justin Wilkerson, 25, Jan. 6, 2021, homicide. Cause not reported.
Desmond Hill, 35, April 9, 2021, strangulation
Hiwatha Abdulcah Hakeem Jr., 36, April 12, 2021, multiple stab wounds
Derrick Dionte Deshun Harvey, 26, June 25, 2021, stab wound to the chest
Christopher Reynolds, 38, July 1, 2021, homicide. Cause not reported.
Christopher Redwine, 45, Sept. 27, 2021, asphyxia due to manual strangulation
Telfair State Prison
Cedric La’Troy Johnson Sr., 35, March 20, 2020, strangulation
Aldrich Norval Cain, 26, April 23, 2020, multiple stab wounds
Marcus Derrelle Ra Jr., 28, May 29, 2020, multiple stab wounds
Luis Garcia Palacio, 41, July 28, 2020, blunt impact injuries of the head
Juan Arguello-Revelles, 38, May 7, 2021, homicide. Cause not reported.
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Valdosta State Prison
Prince Leonard Blige, 54, Feb. 12, 2020, stab wound to torso
Orvonta Tilman, 36, June 16, 2020, homicide. Cause not reported.
Bobby Carpenter, 31, Sept. 9, 2020, stab wound to chest
Ware State Prison
Robert Lee Wilson III, 31, July 17, 2020, multiple stab wounds
Christopher Arnett Rawls, 32, Sept. 5, 2020, strangulation
Christopher Gresham, 39, Sept. 29, 2021, stab wounds of back and lower extremities.
Data journalist Jennifer Peebles contributed to this report.
About the Author
