Steven Eric Mullins, a 45-year-old male, met a violent end while incarcerated at the St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville, Alabama. On February 26, 2019, Mullins was discovered unresponsive in a housing area of the prison, having sustained multiple stab wounds. He was immediately airlifted to a nearby hospital for medical attention but ultimately succumbed to his injuries two days later, on February 28, 2019.
The circumstances leading up to his death paint a grim picture of the prison environment. In the weeks and even days prior to the fatal assault, it was reported that Mullins had expressed fears for his safety to prison officials. He had allegedly been the target of threats of violence, including stabbing and sexual assault, and had requested to be placed in protective custody. Despite these pleas for help, he was housed in a dormitory known for its high incidence of violence.
The investigation into the fatal stabbing quickly identified a suspect: fellow inmate Christopher Scott Jones, who was 50 years old at the time. The Alabama Department of Corrections' Investigations and Intelligence Division announced their intention to file capital murder charges against Jones in connection with Mullins' death. Jones was already serving a 25-year sentence for a 2011 murder conviction in Shelby County.
At the time of his death, Steven Eric Mullins was serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Billy Jack Gaither. The motive for Mullins' own killing within the prison walls has not been publicly detailed. His death, however, became another statistic in the ongoing concerns about violence and safety within Alabama's correctional facilities.
