Inmate stabbed to death at High Desert prison

High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs. (Courtesy/FlickR)

An inmate was stabbed to death Saturday afternoon in a prison just outside Las Vegas, the Nevada Department of Corrections said.

Ralph Goodman, an inmate at High Desert State Prison — located about 30 miles north of Las Vegas — was being escorted by a correctional officer to his housing unit at about 2 p.m. Saturday, the department said.

At the same time, as inmates from housing units nearby were being cleared from the yard, supervised by two correctional officers, two of the inmates, Jeremy Nuckles and Justin Muncy, allegedly “charged across the yard” at Goodman, the department said.

Pepper spray was used against the two inmates by the supervising officers “with little effect,” the department said.

This is when, according to the department of corrections, the two men “knocked Goodman to the ground and stabbed him.”

NDOC said that officers immediately attempted “lifesaving measures” and called medical personnel before Life Flight medics arrived and pronounced Goodman dead at 3:13 p.m., the department said.

“The safety of our staff and the inmates is paramount,” director James Dzurenda said in a statement issued by the department. Dzurenda expressed confidence in the investigative team and said that “those responsible will be held accountable.”

All three of the inmates believed involved were committed from Clark County.

Goodman was serving two life sentences for first-degree murder “and other related charges,” and arrived at the prison in May 2004, the department said. Muncy arrived in November 2015 and is serving three to 10 years for robbery, while Nuckles is serving 10 to 60 years for robbery of a victim over 65 “and other related charges,” the department said. The department did not say when Nuckles was committed to the prison.

Contact Christian Bertolaccini at cbertolaccini@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0381. Find him on Twitter: @bertolaccinic