Rodney DeLong
Rodney J. DeLong Jr., 28, was held at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, California, and on May 6, 2018 was moved into a shared cell as part of a cell-compaction process. About half an hour later he was stabbed to death by his cellmate, according to his mother Anjanette DeLong's federal lawsuit. The lawsuit says he should never have been placed with that cellmate, whom it describes as a gang member, and that staff did not remove him in time to save him. It also says prison officials missed or ignored a database entry listing him as an Aryan Brotherhood enemy and failed to keep gang members separated.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). His mother's federal lawsuit says prison staff should not have placed him with a cellmate who was a gang member, missed or ignored a database entry listing him as a gang enemy, and did not remove him in time to save him.
Reported by: Anjanette DeLong's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers); court records.
Lawsuit: His mother sued in federal court, alleging that High Desert State Prison officials placed him with a gang-affiliated cellmate who stabbed him to death in 2018.