BEAUMONT, Texas — Nearly a third of the inmates allegedly killed by fellow inmates in the Texas prison system this year died while incarcerated in Southeast Texas.
On Tuesday, September 6, 2923, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice instituted an "immediate lockdown and comprehensive search" of all prisons in the state according to a news release from the agency.
Prison officials said the lockdown was needed due to an increase in violence, murders and a "substantial increase" in the volume of narcotics being smuggled into Texas prisons.
There have been 16 inmates killed by other inmates this year. Prison officials say they believe the majority of those murders can be tied to drugs,
Between the Mark W. Stiles Unit in Beaumont and the Gib Lewis unit in Woodville at least five inmates have been killed this year according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and file stories.
Just this week, on Monday, September 5, 2023, Uriel Neri died after being found in the dayroom at the Stiles Unit according to TDJC Director of Communications Amanda Hernandez. Neri's injuries were consistent with physical assault she said.
The Stiles unit is a maximum security prison that houses 2,887 inmates according to Hernandez.
Jeremy Gash died on July 28, 2023, after being found in his Stiles Unit cell with injuries consistent with being assaulted Hernandez told 12News.
In April 2023, Jason King and another inmate got into an altercation that sent King to a Galveston hospital where he died according to Hernandez.
Seventy miles north of the Stiles Unit at least two inmates in the Gib Lewis Unit in Woodville died in 2023 according to file stories.
Danny Luken died at Tyler County Hospital after Prison staff found found him injured in his cell at about 2:40 a.m. on January 6, 2023, according to a file story. Investigators believe Luken's cellmate killed him according to a news release from the unit in Woodville.
In May 2023, Jimmy White, 61, died in the Gib Lewis Unit's medical facility after he was found with injuries suggesting he'd be in an altercation according to file stories.
From 2019 through 2022 in the Stiles Unit there was only one inmate death each year according to Hernandez.
In July 2019, an investigation showed that Levy Compton, who was found unresponsive in the dayroom before being pronounced dead, was assaulted by another inmate.
Juan Mendoza had an altercation with his cellmate in May 2021 and later died at the Southeast Texas Medical Center.
In December 2022, Murgan Abdi died after being found unresponsive in his cell with injuries suggesting he had an altercation with his cellmate.
The TDCJ has not yet provided 12News with any numbers for inmate deaths in the Larry Gist State 2,276 inmates, or the LeBlanc Unit, which houses 1,224 inmates.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.