RICHMOND, Va. -- The Virginia Department of Corrections says an inmate at Red Onion State Prison has been charged in connection to the 2023 death of another inmate at the facility.
Julian Leon Mitchell, a 36-year-old inmate was charged with one count of aggravated murder by a grand jury in Wise County Circuit Court on May 15.
That charge is a Class 1 felony in Virginia and carries a punishment of life in prison.
The Department of Corrections says that Mitchell is accused of killing Jowell Legendre, who shared a cell with Mitchell, on August 24, 2023.
Officials say Legendre was found unresponsive by corrections team members who performed first aid on the inmate. He was later taken to Dickenson Community Hospital and pronounced deceased.
At the time corrections officers say that Mitchell reported, " that Legendre fell from the top of his bunk bed."
The Virginia Department of Corrections' Office of Law Enforceemnt Services investigated the death and reported their findings to the Wise County Commonwealth's Attorney's office.
“The safety and security of our corrections team, inmates, and supervisees is this department’s top priority,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. “The Virginia Department of Corrections will pursue prosecution to the fullest extent of the law for anyone who threatens that safety and security. I thank Commonwealth’s Attorney Brett Hall for bringing this case before a grand jury, and for always being a steadfast supporter of our Department. I also thank our corrections team members for their work on this investigation.”
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