A California inmate already serving four consecutive life sentences for a 1990 quadruple homicide is now accused of killing his wife during a conjugal visit at Mule Creek State Prison in November, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.
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David Brinson, 54, allegedly strangled his wife, 62-year-old Stephanie Brinson, during an overnight family visit at the Ione, California facility—located about 40 miles northeast of Stockton. The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of November 13, when Brinson called corrections officers around 2 a.m. to report that his wife had “passed out.”
Despite life-saving efforts, Stephanie Brinson was pronounced dead at 2:51 a.m. Investigators from the Amador County District Attorney’s Office and Mule Creek State Prison later determined that she had been strangled, and her death was officially ruled a homicide.
Brinson has been incarcerated since his conviction for the robbery and murder of four men in a Los Angeles apartment more than three decades ago. Despite his violent history, he had been granted access to conjugal visitation privileges, which the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) says are reserved for inmates who maintain “sustained good behavior” and meet strict eligibility requirements.
Stephanie, affectionately known as “Stevi” to loved ones, was a hairstylist and small business owner in the Los Angeles area. She was a mother of two sons and a grandmother of six.
“She was the most giving, kindhearted person,” her mother, Oveta Wilson, told KCRA3. “Stevi was literally the glue that held the family together.”
Her son, Armand Torres, said the family is “devastated” and questions how someone with Brinson’s record was ever allowed to be alone with his mother inside prison walls.
“My mom was just left alone, and she called for help, I’m sure, and there’s nothing she could do,” Torres said. “Given the history that this guy has, we kind of wanted to know—how is it even possible for them to be unsupervised?”
As of now, no charges have been formally filed, but Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe confirmed a homicide investigation is underway. Brinson remains in custody as authorities continue reviewing the case.
