JP rules Gib Lewis Prison death as homicide instead of suicide

A Tyler County Justice of the Peace has ruled an early August death of a prison inmate in the Gib Lewis Unit near Woodville as a homicide, rather than a suicide as was initially reported by the prison. According to Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Jim Moore, 42-year-old Justin Levi Galloway was found deceased in his cell on August 5th, 2022 with a noose around his neck and also a puncture wound to his neck. Judge Moore said an autopsy was performed in Galveston and a copy of that autopsy lists the manner of death to be “HOMICIDE”, the cause of death to be “LIGATURE/ASPHYXIATION”, and the circumstances of death to be “NOOSE AROUND NECK CAUSING ASPHYXIATION”. Moore said the death remains under investigation and he said the Texas Department of Criminal Justice carries out those investigations if it occurs within the prison system. Earlier in the week, KJAS News spoke to TDCJ Director of Communications Amanda Hernandez and she said that the initial press release which stated that the prisoner died as a result of suicide has not changed, but she did add that the case was still being investigated. Galloway’s death was the second at the prison in recent months. On June 27th a prison guard reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot.