A prisoner in Washington state killed his cellmate after discovering the man had sexually assaulted his younger sister. Shane Goldsby, then 25, was captured on CCTV brutally attacking 70-year-old Robert Munger on 2 June 2020 at the Airway Heights Corrections Center.
Munger was serving a 43-year sentence for child rape, child molestation and possession of child pornography. Goldsby was incarcerated for stealing a police vehicle. An inquiry found that due to differing family names, no link was established between the two men.
Goldsby said tensions rose as Munger discussed details of the abuse. He alleged that despite numerous requests for a cell change, his appeals were ignored. Prison staff also failed to respond when Goldsby pressed an emergency cell alarm before the attack.
In August 2021, Goldsby received an additional 298-month sentence for the killing. He expressed remorse through a statement read by his lawyer, saying: 'I'm ashamed of my actions... I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one in this kind of way.'
The court heard that Goldsby had endured a troubled childhood, including abuse from his drug-dependent mother and multiple foster placements. The Washington Department of Corrections described the incident as an 'unfortunate and complicated incident', acknowledging that screeners had no knowledge of the connection between the two men.
