3 inmates killed, others injured in fight at Nevada prison

Update: Inmates killed in Ely State Prison fight identified

Three inmates were killed and several others injured in a fight that broke out at Ely State Prison on Tuesday, according to the Nevada Department of Corrections. The prison was placed on lockdown after the fight.

Nine inmates were transported for treatment, according to a news release from the department. No officers were injured in the altercation.

The department said Tuesday it was not releasing the names of the inmates who were killed at this time and that there was an active investigation in cooperation with multiple statewide and local law enforcement agencies.

No further information about the violence was available.

According to a policy explained on the department’s website, the Nevada Department of Corrections will issue a news release “informing the public of the general circumstances surrounding any in-custody offender death” after “every effort is made to notify the next of kin as soon as possible.”

There have been two other inmate deaths in Ely State Prison this year, according to news releases. Inmate Antonio Talavera, 38, was pronounced dead on April 16, and inmate Norman Belcher, 49, was pronounced dead on May 30.

Neither release contains any information about the inmates’ causes of death, but deaths resulting from violent fights have been reported in state facilities in recent years.

An inmate called his fiancee in October 2019 to warn her that “something might happen” to him. Later that day, he was stabbed 52 times inside a locked cell.

Andrew Thurgood had said on the phone to his fiancee that he had heard the “dubs,” a reference to the Aryan Warriors, a notoriously violent white supremacist prison gang, were going to jump him.

In December 2022, 21-year-old Tyrek Settles was stabbed to death at Ely State Prison, sparking protests in support of a hunger strike at the prison as inmates called for an end to solitary confinement, lockdowns, group punishment and alleged violence from staff.

And in July 2023, another man, 29-year-old Michael Rumble, was stabbed to death at Ely State Prison.

The department has issued releases for 18 inmate deaths across Nevada Department of Corrections facilities this year.

Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office declined to comment on whether or not they are concerned about the violence inside state prisons, instead reiterating that “today’s incident is under investigation by local and statewide law enforcement agencies.”

Similarly, Alcinia Whiters, deputy communications director for the Office of Attorney General Aaron Ford, said “we are aware of the situation but cannot comment further.”

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.