Officials from the California state prison say that a 62-year-old woman was killed by her husband, who is currently spending life in prison without the chance of parole, during a visit in November 2024.
Stephanie Brinson, who is also known as Stephanie Dowells, was visiting her 54-year-old husband David Brinson at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California, on November 13, 2024, for the night without being watched. Around 2 a.m. on November 13, Brinson told prison staff that his wife had passed out in the apartment-style building they were staying in. At 2:51 a.m., she was declared dead.
The Amador County Coroner’s Office now says that Stephanie died from being strangled. Her husband is being looked into as a possible suspect, but Brinson has not yet been charged with the murder. The Amador County District Attorney’s Office said they won’t charge David Brinson until the cops finish their investigation.
The family of Stephanie, who loved being called “Stevi” by her family and friends, wants to know how this could have happened. Stephanie ran her own small business and did hair. She was also a grandmother and a mother of two. Armand Torres, her son, wants to know what happened that night, both about what happened to his mother and how Brinson was able to visit without being watched.
“How could they let this happen?” It’s not making sense to me. It was just me and my mom. I’m sure she called for help, but she couldn’t do anything. Because of this person’s past, we were wondering how they could be left alone. Torres told her.
The webpage for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says that some prisoners can have “family visits.” Visits with family take place in private, apartment-like areas on jail grounds and last for 30 to 40 hours. Certain people are not allowed to visit their families: people on Death Row, people in jail with sex offense convictions, people in the Reception Centers process, and people with disciplinary limits.
The Los Angeles Times says that David Brinson is already serving four straight life sentences without the chance of parole. He was found guilty of killing four men during a theft in 1990 and given his sentence in 1994.
“Given this person’s past, we were wondering how they could be left alone.” son of Stephanie Brinson continued.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the funeral costs. On it, Stephanie is said to have spent her whole life lifting others up with her strong faith, boundless positivity, and ability to build strong relationships.
