Douglas Cunningham
Douglas Alan Cunningham, 79, died on October 29, 2022, after he was attacked in his cell at Southern Regional Jail in Beckley, West Virginia, where he had been housed in a suicide watch pod. A criminal complaint says two cellmates beat him; one told police he attacked Cunningham, while the other denied harming him but said the first had attacked him. Cunningham was taken by ambulance to Beckley ARH Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about forty minutes after arriving. The state medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, listing coronary artery disease combined with the stress of blunt injuries to his head, chest and abdomen. In February 2024, one of the cellmates entered a plea agreement in the case.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody. The state medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, listing coronary artery disease and blunt impact injuries to the head, chest and abdomen as contributing causes.
Reported by: West Virginia State Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hatfield.
Sources (6)
- Court records: Two inmates charged in inmate's 2022 death at Southern Regional Jail
- Two Southern Regional Jail inmates charged in death of elderly cellmate
- 2 men charged with killing cellmate in West Virginia jail
- 2 Southern Regional Jail inmates charged in death of elderly cellmate
- West Virginia inmate enters plea in death of cellmate at Southern Regional Jail
- Lucas Matthew Wagnar: West Virginia inmate enters plea for killing 79-year-old cellmate in SRJ