In the walls of William Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama, a life was violently cut short. Kenneth Earl Ray II, a 32-year-old man, was killed on a Monday in November 2022, the victim of a brutal assault by a fellow inmate. His death, caused by what the Jefferson County coroner's office described as 'sharp force injuries,' is being treated as a homicide.
Reports from within the prison paint a grim picture of Ray's final moments. He was reportedly stabbed multiple times inside a housing dormitory, a violent encounter that apparently transpired without the immediate intervention of any correctional officers. By the time help arrived, it was too late. Ray was transported to the prison's infirmary, but his injuries were too severe, and he could not be saved.
At the time of his death, Ray was serving a life sentence for a robbery conviction handed down in 2012. Just five months before the fatal assault, he had been denied parole. The Alabama Department of Corrections confirmed that Ray's death was the result of an inmate-on-inmate assault but has remained tight-lipped about further details.
The investigation into the death of Kenneth Earl Ray II is ongoing. However, information regarding any arrests made in connection with the homicide or the identity of any suspect or suspects has not been publicly released. The Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division is handling the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
