By Mitchell Willetts
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
AMARILLO, Texas — An inmate died after a fire started inside his prison cell, and now two guards are facing charges, Texas officials say.
The inmate, whom officials have not publicly identified, was discovered “unresponsive” in his cell at 3:19 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at the William P. Clements Unit in Amarillo, according to the state Department of Criminal Justice.
He was pronounced dead at 4:09 a.m., officials said in a news release.
According to officials, the inmate started the fire, but corrections officers didn’t help him, resulting in his death.
Two guards were arrested, 39-year-old Sgt. Crystal West and 33-year-old Lt. William Romero, the department said, adding that both have been fired.
West is charged with manslaughter, and her bond is set at $200,000, jail records show. Romero was booked on a charge of negligent homicide, and his bond is $150,000.
No attorney information was available for West or Romero as of the morning of Oct. 7.
“The agency is working closely with (the Office of Inspector General ) and the Special Prosecution Unit so that those staff who allegedly failed to act will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” officials said.
The William P. Clements Unit has an inmate capacity over 3,100 and houses inmates ranging from the lowest risk, G1, up to maximum security, or G5, according to the department.
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