Prisoner Killed Cellmate Who Sexually Assaulted His Younger Sister
In a shocking case of prison violence, a Washington inmate brutally murdered his cellmate after discovering the man was a convicted child rapist who had sexually assaulted his younger sister. Shane Goldsby, aged 25 at the time, was captured on surveillance footage stamping on Robert Munger's head at the Airways Heights Corrections Center on June 2, 2020.
Forced to Share Cell With Sister's Rapist
Goldsby reportedly couldn't believe he had been housed in the same cell with the man who had abused his sister when she was underage. Munger, 70, was serving a 43-year sentence for child rape, child molestation, and possession of child pornography. Speaking about the situation a month after the fatal attack, Goldsby stated: "This stuff doesn't happen. You're talking the same institution, the same unit, the same pod in the same cell as this dude. That's like hitting the jackpot in the casino seven times."
Systemic Failures and Missed Warnings
An official inquiry revealed that prison authorities had failed to establish the connection between the two inmates because family members had different surnames. Goldsby disclosed that tension mounted as Munger began discussing "what happened and what he did. About the photos and videos of doing this stuff, it was building up."
The prisoner maintained that despite numerous requests to be moved to alternative accommodation, his appeals fell on deaf ears. "When I showed up in that unit, I walked out of that pod, went to an office and said 'Hey, I need a new cellie,'" he told KHQ. Additionally, when Goldsby pressed an emergency cell alarm before the attack, no prison guard came to his aid.
Sentencing and Remorse
In August 2021, Goldsby received an additional sentence of 298 months - approximately 25 years - behind bars for the killing. He expressed remorse to the victim's relatives, though his lawyer had to read out a statement after he became too overwhelmed to speak. The statement read: "I'm ashamed of my actions, I was put into a situation that I don't wish on nobody. I got a lot of fixing to do. I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one in this kind of way. 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."
Background and Institutional Response
The court heard how Goldsby endured abuse from his drug-dependent mother, who sometimes chained him up outdoors like an animal. After being rescued by social services, he moved through 10 separate foster placements. His mother later re-entered his life and the pair began taking drugs together. At 22 he found himself imprisoned in the intensive management unit, before being moved to Airway Heights prison, where he met Munger.
The Washington Department of Corrections referred to the situation as an "unfortunate and complicated incident." They further clarified that although a cellmate policy should have precluded the two inmates from sharing a cell, "screeners had no knowledge about the connection between Goldsby and Munger when they were placed together." Goldsby was originally imprisoned for stealing a police vehicle, while Munger was serving his lengthy sentence for multiple child sex offenses.
