Russell D. Blackwell II
Russell Dee Blackwell, 35, was held at the Johnson County jail in Indiana, where he was injured in his cell on May 21, 2026. Jail staff found him hurt and he was taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital, then moved to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where he died. The Johnson County Sheriff's Office says the injuries were consistent with a battery by another person held in the cell, and it has asked prosecutors to bring a voluntary manslaughter charge against that person. An autopsy, as cited in court records and reported by the Daily Journal and WTHR, attributed his death to blunt force trauma throughout his body, and the other person is presumed innocent.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody. The Johnson County Sheriff's Office says another person held in the cell attacked him, and an autopsy cited in court records attributes his death to blunt force trauma.
Reported by: Johnson County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); court documents; autopsy cited in court records.
Sources (5)
- UPDATE: Greenwood man dies after altercation at Johnson County jail
- Inmate charged with manslaughter after beating cellmate to death at Johnson County jail - WISH-TV
- Johnson County inmate dies after jail altercation, investigation underway
- 'Needed someone to punch him' | Johnson County Jail inmate charged after allegedly beating another inmate to death
- Johnson County jail inmate killed because someone ‘needed’ to hit him, suspect says