ADOC sergeant charged in beating death of inmate

An incarcerated individual named Rubyn Murray was assaulted and beaten to death Wednesday at an Alabama Department of Corrections facility. Multiple people were charged Thursday with murder for Murray’s death including Sgt. D’Marcus Sanders, a now former ADOC correctional officer, and two other incarcerated people.

According to a statement from ADOC, Sanders resigned from his position and is being held without bond. The statement names Fredrick Gooden and Stefranio Hampton as the two incarcerated individuals charged with murder in Murray’s death.

“Based on evidence gathered so far, Correctional Sgt. Demarcus Sanders and inmates Fredrick Gooden and Stefranio Hampton have been charged with Murder,” the statement read. “Sanders who has resigned his position with ADOC is being held at the Elmore County Detention Facility without bond. The inmates remain in ADOC custody. Further charges and personnel actions are pending.”

The assault took place Wednesday morning, stemming from an altercation during breakfast. Sources say that between approximately 4 to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Rubyn and an officer got into a dispute regarding breakfast. The dispute intensified, leading to the officer, Sgt. Aquella Morris, pepper-spraying Rubyn in the face and causing Rubyn to swing erratically, hitting Morris.

Sources say that Rubyn was then beaten into submission, handcuffed and taken to the back gate of the facility by other officers. In ADOC’s statement, they claim Rubyn was taken back there to be transported to the Staton Health Care Unit as he sustained “minor injuries.” In ADOC’s statement they did not offer a timetable of the events nor did they name any other officers in connection to the initial altercation. 

Sources say that Morris is pregnant and Sanders is the father of the child. Sanders became upset regarding the incident and attempted to get into Rubyn’s cell but the guard working at the time would not allow him.

However, during a shift change, another officer took over. That officer, identified as Officer Simpson, did not know what occurred and gave Sanders the keys to Rubyn’s cell. 

Sanders then gathered multiple guards and a few incarcerated people to go and beat Rubyn. One of the guards identified by sources to have taken part in the beating is Officer McCullough. Other officers on duty at the time were Officer Greer, who helped initially restrain Murray and Officer Minor.

The captains who were working that day include Cpt. Nolen and Cpt. Posey, sources told APR.

One source says there were at least 5 individuals involved in the assault of Rubyn. In ADOC’s statement, they stated that “further charges and personnel actions are pending.” After the assault, it took over three hours for someone to check on Rubyn and he was found to be no longer breathing. 

Rubyn was then transported to SCHU and then Jackson Hospital where he was revived but would eventually succumb to his injuries. However, Rubyn’s family has said they are still unsure what time Rubyn actually passed and the details surrounding his passing.

APR spoke with LaKeisha Murray, Rubyn’s sister, who said that ADOC called the family at 2 p.m. on Wednesday and said her brother died at 11:35 a.m. However, sources inside Elmore said Rubyn passed at approximately 7 a.m.

LaKeisha said that they initially found out that Rubyn had died from a social media post. Lakeisha added that when the facility first called her mother they said Rubyn was found “unresponsive.” Then, LaKeisha said that she attempted to call back and get more information but she said they kept putting her on hold and passing the phone around until the call was disconnected. 

LaKeisha stated that they also were not told anything about Rubyn being airlifted and moved to multiple health facilities.

“We weren’t ever contacted about him being airlifted to Staton,” Lakeisha said. “And we weren’t contacted about him being shipped to Jackson Hospital. We weren’t contacted about anything.”

ADOC has a pattern of not providing information to the families of incarcerated individuals who are transported to different facilities or have died. APR has had several previous reports in which families find out hours later that their loved one has passed away or was moved to another facility without their knowledge. Or the families also find out from the incarcerated before ADOC.

As Eddie Burkhalter wrote for Alabama Appleseed, this is only the latest instance of brutality inflicted on an incarcerated individual by correctional staff at Elmore. In 2022, Sgt. Ulysses Oliver was sentenced to 30 months in prison for the assault of two handcuffed incarcerated people at Elmore. Sources familiar with the attack said it occurred in the same cell gate in the back area as Rubyn’s death. 

LaKeisha said that it is “very possible” the family will pursue legal action in her brother’s death.