An inmate-on-inmate assault at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility resulted in one of their deaths.
The sheriff’s office announced the investigation on Sunday, two days after it happened.
The assault started just before 3 p.m. Friday in a cell on the upper tier of the housing area. According to a release from the sheriff’s office, deputies were able to intervene 45 seconds after it began. Weapons were not involved.
Paramedics took the victim, identified as 43-year-old Michael Roy Craven, Jr., to the hospital. He was pronounced dead around 5 a.m. Saturday. Craven was being held on assault, trespassing and stalking charges.
Eric Stewart, 43, is the suspect. He was put in the detention center in December 2014 and was already awaiting trial on attempted murder, menacing and assault charges.
Both men have been living in the same housing unit since December 2014. Thirty-eight other inmates were in the area at the time.
According to the sheriff’s office, inmates are assigned to housing units based on a classification system that includes many variables, such as current charge, previous criminal history and disciplinary concerns.
Stewart remains in custody and is now being held on the additional charge of 1st degree murder.
