Dwight Matthew Williams, 42, Inmate # QN9683 at SCI Phoenix, charged with two counts of murder in death of another inmate.
Ashokkumar Guru, 67, was found unresponsive in his cell Sunday morning at the Skippack Township state correctional facility.
An inmate at SCI Phoenix in Skippack Township with convictions of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment has been charged with first-degree murder and third-degree murder by Pennsylvania State Police for his alleged role in the beating death of inmate Ashokkumar Guru, 67, in his cell on Sunday morning.
According to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Pennsylvania State Police Captain Gerard B. McShea, Dwight Williams, 42, of South Carolina, will remain at SCI Phoenix and will have no bail for first-degree murder, police said.
There was blood on Guru’s face and blood on a box near Guru, consistent with an attack, police allege.
Officers immediately began CPR, which was continued by arriving Plymouth Ambulance EMS personnel. Despite the lifesaving measures, Guru was pronounced dead at 10:24 a.m., according to authorities.
“Upon their arrival to the cell, it was apparent to (the paramedic) that the unresponsive individual had been beaten on the head where e observed blood around the victim’s head and bruising around the victim’s eyes and head,” stated the criminal complaint. “He observed a suspected shoe imprint on the victims’ face.”
Montgomery County Detectives and Pennsylvania State Police began a joint homicide investigation into Guru’s death. Detectives and troopers reviewed surveillance video and found that Guru’s cellmate was not in his cell at the time of the incident, police said.
At 9:12 a.m., Guru is seen leaving his cell to fill his water bottle across the cellblock and then returns straightaway. At 9:16 a.m., Williams can be seen entering Guru’s cell, then exiting at 9:25 a.m., police said.
At 9:29 a.m., Williams is seen entering his own cell, and a red substance can be seen on the bottom of his left sneaker, authorities allege. Williams leaves his cell a few minutes later holding a brown paper bag and tries to get another inmate to discard the bag immediately, but the cellblock had already been locked down, police said.
Investigators recovered the paper bag and found it contained a white Fila sneaker, according to authorities. The investigation also found that another inmate had allegedly witnessed the attack on Guru.
“He looked into the window of the victim’s cell while the cell door was closed and observed (the inmate) stomping on the victim’s chest,” states the complaint.
An autopsy was performed by Dr. Khalil Wardak, a forensic pathologist with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.
Wardak found the cause of death was blunt impact injuries and the manner of death was homicide.
Williams is awaiting arraignment on the charges, at which time a preliminary hearing date will be set.
According to court documents, Williams has two active cases in the Common Pleas level, including one for felony drug violations that occurred while incarcerated.
In May 2022, Williams was given two five- to 10-year prison sentences in Philadelphia court for felony charges of first-degree aggravated assault and carrying firearms without a license, as well as one to two years in prison on a misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge, per court documents.
He landed at SCI Phoenix in September 2022, per court records.
Authorities told PerkValleyNow that Guru was serving a life sentence for first degree murder on a Philadelphia County conviction. He arrived at SCI Phoenix on Dec. 22, 2021, according to authorities.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
