By Carol Robinson
al.com
ELMORE, Ala. — Four state prison inmates have been charged in the beating death of another inmate.
Sylvester Slay, 40, Nico Phillips, 35, Deandre Knox, 36, and Cedric Usher, 29, are charged with murder in the killing of 41-year-old Cason Helms.
The deadly assault happened at 6:15 p.m. on June 6 Elmore Correctional Facility.
Charging documents state the suspects beat Helms multiple times with their hands, fists and feet.
“Video evidence shows the entirety of the multiple assaults and the defendants were identified from the video footage,” according to the criminal complaint.
Helms was pronounced dead at 9:07 p.m. that Saturday in the prison’s healthcare unit. He suffered multiple broken ribs, a lacerated spleen, and blunt force trauma to the head.
The Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division investigated the killing.
Three of the suspects – Phillips, Usher and Knox – were in prison for convictions in Jefferson County. Phillips pleaded guilty to robbery in 2009 and was sentenced to 18 years. Usher in 2025 pleaded guilty to domestic violence. He was sentenced to 20 years with five years to serve. Knox pleaded guilty to drug charges in 2024 and was sentenced to eight years with two years so serve.
Slay was convicted in 2017 of assault and robbery in Greene County. He was serving 20 years.
When he died, Helms was serving a 20-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2014 to two counts of first-degree assault in connection with 2013 shootout with sheriff’s deputies in Barbour County.
In January, two inmates — Damon Lamar Calhoun, 35, and Londell Ramone Nunn Jr ., 34 — were killed during a fight at Elmore, the same prison where Helms was beaten to death.
—
©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.