Trenton James Black
Trenton James Black, 40, was held at Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Corrections said he was injured in a fight with his cellmate on October 8, 2024, and died at a local hospital that morning. The corrections department presumes the death is a homicide, and its inspector general's office, the State Law Enforcement Division and the Lee County Coroner's Office are investigating. The state's account of the cellmate's role and the circumstances of the fight remains under investigation, and as of that afternoon no charges had been filed.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody. The South Carolina Department of Corrections says his cellmate fatally injured him in a fight, and the inspector general, SLED and the Lee County Coroner are investigating the death as a suspected homicide.
Reported by: South Carolina Department of Corrections (the agency that held him); Lee County Coroner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); SCDC Inspector General's Office (outside investigators); State Law Enforcement Division (outside investigators).