A Washington state prisoner murdered his cellmate after discovering the man was convicted of raping his baby sister, in a shocking case of systemic failure within the corrections system.
A Deadly Coincidence Behind Bars
Shane Goldsby, then aged 25, was captured on surveillance footage stomping on the head of 70-year-old Robert Munger on June 2, 2020. The attack occurred at the Airways Heights Corrections Center. Munger was serving a substantial 43-year sentence for a series of heinous crimes, including child rape, child molestation, and possession of child pornography.
Goldsby, who was incarcerated for stealing a police car, expressed utter disbelief at being housed with his sister's violator. Speaking a month after the killing, he likened the odds to "hitting the jackpot in the casino seven times." He emphasised the improbable chain of events: "This stuff doesn't happen. You're talking the same institution, the same unit, the same pod in the same cell as this dude."
Prison System Failures and a Fatal Build-Up
An official investigation later revealed that due to differing surnames among family members, prison screeners failed to identify any connection between the two inmates. This oversight occurred despite existing policies designed to prevent such placements.
The situation deteriorated rapidly as Munger reportedly began sharing graphic details of his offences. Goldsby claimed Munger spoke about "what happened and what he did. About the photos and videos of doing this stuff, it was building up." Desperate to be moved, Goldsby stated he repeatedly asked prison staff for a new cell assignment, but his pleas were ignored. He told local media he went to an office immediately upon arrival in the unit to request a change.
In a critical final failure, no officer responded when Goldsby activated an emergency cell button just prior to the violent incident. This inaction led Goldsby to believe, in his own words, "I’m completely feeling like this is what they wanted to happen."
Sentencing, Apology, and a Troubled Past
In August 2021, Goldsby was sentenced to an additional 298 months—just under 25 years—for the second-degree murder of Munger. During the emotional hearing, a statement was read on his behalf after he became too distraught to continue.
"I’m ashamed of my actions," the apology to Munger's family read. "I was put into a situation that I don’t wish on nobody... To (Munger's) wife and his whole family I apologise. I am so sorry and I hope you are able to heal from what I caused."
The court also heard details of Goldsby's profoundly difficult upbringing. He suffered abuse from his drug-addicted mother, was sometimes chained outside, and passed through ten different foster homes. After social services intervened, he later reconnected with his mother as an adult, and they began using drugs together. By age 22, he was in prison.
The Washington Department of Corrections described the event as an "unfortunate and complicated incident." They acknowledged that while policy should have prevented the co-housing, "screeners had no knowledge about the connection between Goldsby and Munger when they were placed together."
