Malik Carter
Malik Carter, 30, of Southeast D.C., died at U.S. Penitentiary Lee in Virginia in February 2026, about a month before his scheduled release, according to his family. His mother, Arlisa Carter, and sister, Raykeyah Carter, described him as a son, a brother and a father with a kind heart and a laugh that could light up a room. His family says he was found unresponsive while held in solitary confinement, that he was beaten by guards, and that other families warned them of prolonged abuse. The Bureau of Prisons has declined to share the cause of death, and the family is waiting for the medical examiner's autopsy results.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). The family and their attorney Malik Shabazz allege prison guards beat Malik Carter so severely it caused his death, and that he was held in solitary confinement and found unresponsive; the Bureau of Prisons has declined to share specifics on the cause of death, and the family is raising money for an independent autopsy.
Reported by: Family and attorney Malik Shabazz (family or their lawyers); Bureau of Prisons (the agency that held him); Daily Voice (reporters).