In a shocking series of events, two women have tragically lost their lives during conjugal visits at Mule Creek State Prison, located in Ione, Amador County. The first death, which occurred in November, involved 62-year-old Stephanie Dalles, and was initially ruled a homicide. Months later, it was revealed that another woman, 47-year-old Vanessa Thomas, had also died in similar circumstances while visiting her husband at the same prison. Both women were murdered during these intimate visits with their incarcerated partners, leading to a series of concerns and questions regarding the safety measures in place at the facility.
Vanessa Thomas’s Family Speaks Out
Vanessa Thomas, a woman who had spent much of her life battling lupus, was tragically killed while visiting her husband, 48-year-old Anthony Curry, at Mule Creek State Prison. Curry, who had a violent criminal history, was serving a sentence for a prior conviction of attempted murder after he shot his 19-year-old girlfriend in 1999, leaving her for dead. She was later found barely alive, with permanent injuries, including blindness and partial paralysis. For Thomas’s family, the news of her death was a gut-wrenching blow. Her cousin, Janine Rojo, who was close to her, described the loss as devastating, especially given the fact that Thomas had kept her conjugal visits with Curry a secret from her family.
A Violent Past and a Questionable Present
Curry’s violent past raised serious concerns about how such an individual was allowed conjugal visits at all, especially given his history of severe violence. Rojo, devastated by the news, questioned how authorities could have allowed a man with such a criminal record to have unsupervised visits with his wife. The family had no idea that Thomas even had conjugal visits with her husband, given his violent past. Rojo, in an emotional statement, expressed disbelief at the system that allowed this tragedy to occur, questioning why such visits were approved, especially for individuals like Curry.
This was not the first tragedy of its kind. Just months before Thomas’s death, 62-year-old Stephanie Dalles was also murdered during a conjugal visit with her husband at Mule Creek State Prison. Dalles’ death, which was also ruled a homicide, was part of the growing concern surrounding the safety of visitors at the facility. Both deaths highlighted the disturbing reality that conjugal visits, which are meant to foster family connections and support rehabilitation, were being exploited in dangerous and deadly ways.
The Call for Better Safety Measures
The revelations about these two tragic murders have raised significant questions about the safety protocols in place at Mule Creek State Prison. In an attempt to address these concerns, Rojo has publicly called for stronger security measures to protect individuals visiting inmates. While she is not opposed to conjugal visits in principle, she believes more needs to be done to prevent future deaths. In her words, “Maybe put more prison guards out to do more safety checks… anything to save another life.”
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) allows conjugal visits for inmates who meet certain criteria, such as having good behavior and not being involved in violent crimes. However, the department does not specify whether individuals with violent criminal records, such as Curry, are excluded from this privilege. According to CDCR, inmates must apply and meet strict criteria to earn family visits, which are designed to maintain family ties and assist with rehabilitation. However, with two murders now linked to these visits, the system’s effectiveness in preventing such incidents is being called into question.
Prison Security Protocols Under Scrutiny
The prison’s security measures for conjugal visits also came under scrutiny after these tragic events. CDCR’s website outlines that inmates are required to present themselves for headcounts at least four times within a 24-hour period, and the prison can order unscheduled inspections. However, despite these protocols, there appears to be a strong emphasis on preserving the inmates’ privacy, raising concerns about whether enough is being done to ensure visitors’ safety. The manual for prison visits suggests that privacy is a priority during these family visits, but the deaths of two women raise valid concerns about whether these policies inadvertently put visitors at risk.
The revelations of these two deaths have led to further investigation into the matter, with KCRA 3 continuing to follow up with the California Department of Corrections for more answers. The department has yet to respond to the question of how many other similar incidents may have occurred at the prison, leaving many wondering if there are more untold stories behind closed doors.
The Growing Concerns and the Need for Change
While the deaths of Dalles and Thomas have garnered media attention, the bigger question remains: What can be done to prevent further tragedies from occurring at Mule Creek State Prison and other facilities? Many believe that the system needs to be overhauled to better protect those who visit inmates, especially those with violent criminal histories. Some have suggested that increasing supervision during conjugal visits or providing more robust security checks might help reduce the risks associated with these private interactions.
In light of these two horrific events, there is a clear need for a reevaluation of how conjugal visits are handled in prisons across the country. As the families of Dalles and Thomas continue to process their grief, the hope remains that their stories will serve as a catalyst for change, ensuring that no more lives are lost in such preventable ways.