Mike and I came to town on Thursday (June 27) so that he could pursue various motorcycling activities. We have had to stay in town two days longer than we expected because I have a chipped tooth and couldn’t get an appointment until Tuesday (July 2). We are determined to spend the Fourth on the farm, though, because Bess has developed “noise anxiety” and can’t handle the fireworks. “They’re shooting guns out there,” she cries, “and they didn’t invite me.”
We have not had an update from the prosecutor regarding Milo’s wrongful death in a month or so. To our knowledge, his murderer still hasn’t been officially named and charges haven’t been filed. They say they are investigating carefully, and these things take time. Seems like an open-and-shut case to me. Two guys were locked in a cell together. One was killed with no defensive wounds, so the other guy had to be the perpetrator. But of course, the truly culpable party – the prison itself (the State of Idaho) – will not be charged. As a second-generation native Idahoan, I feel betrayed.
Through certain contacts, we have reason to believe that the prison continues to place vulnerable inmates in harm’s way. I can’t help but feel that to some extent this is deliberate. It’s at least negligent.
Some people have said to me, “I know what you’re going through. I lost my precious baby.” Or they say, “It’s just wrong to bury your child; it goes against nature.” Not to minimize anyone’s grief, but the overarching issue here is that our son and brother was killed in state custody where he should have been safe, and the issues go on and on and on. My heart hurts for what Milo endured in his final days and hours as he was under threat by his delusional cellmate and prison personnel were unresponsive to his pleas for help. Do you think this will come out in the trial – if there is a trial?
And the longer “they” drag out the investigation, the more this horrible crime slips from collective memory. The public has a short memory, and they know it.
If it could happen to Milo, it could happen to anyone -- and it does. KW
Thanks for the update. I love you two.
ReplyDeleteMy records may not be 100% accurate since I'm just web searching but in a seemingly similar incident in December 2021, the Ada County Sheriff's Office investigated the death of Gerald B. Cummings who was beaten in his cell. The article I read from IdahoNews reported, “Detectives say Cummings and his cellmate, Colton J. Reagan, 25, of Meridian, were the only two people inside the cell at the time of the fight. Reagan was arrested later in the morning and moved to a different cell.”
ReplyDeleteI have to wonder about the reason for the exceptionally long delay in our case. It's not fair for me to jump to conclusions in this public forum, but let me tell you, I have theories.
This is what I've been able to find for Idaho prison homicides within the last few years:
Milo Vance Warnock, 45 - December 31, 2023; Idaho State Police Investigating. July 10, 2024 will mark seven months since his death with no one charged to date.
Junior Alex Garcia, 26 - June 18, 2023; Idaho State Police investigated. Grady jury indictments four months later.
Gerald B. Cummings Jr., 57 - December 11, 2021; Ada County Sheriff's Office investigated. Arrest made same-day.