JACKSON — An inmate, Cornelius Kelly, who was a father, brother, and son, was stabbed to death in his cell at Dixon Correctional Facility. His family, reeling from the sudden tragedy, is demanding answers and considering legal action to uncover the truth. According to the family, they were misled about his death, initially believing it was from natural causes or an overdose. It wasn’t until they read a news article that they learned the heartbreaking truth: Cornelius had been fatally stabbed.
The incident took place on Monday morning, November 5. The East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed they were notified of the violent altercation between inmates at DCI that left Cornelius dead. Detectives responded to the scene, assisted by the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab and DCI criminal investigators. Officials stress the investigation remains in its early stages, and additional details will be released when appropriate. No prison employees were harmed, but for Kelly’s family, their ordeal is only beginning.
The family’s heartbreak deepened as they attempted to reach prison officials, seeking clarity about the incident.
“When I called up there, I was met with resistance,” Pash Kelly, the victim’s cousin, shared. “They were treating me as if I was an inmate, being disrespectful. They hung up in my face over 30 times—I didn’t get any information from them.” The lack of empathy, she says, compounded their grief.
It was only through a complex web of phone calls and third-party sources that the family pieced together the reality.
“Another inmate called their family and told them what happened. That family member then contacted Cornelius’ brother, telling him Cornelius was stabbed. That’s how we found out the inmate stabbed to death (from the news article) was Cornelius,” a relative recounted. The lingering question that haunts them is why such critical information was withheld, and why they were not contacted directly by officials regarding his true cause of death.
For the family, many unanswered questions cloud their sorrow: How could such a violent act occur in a controlled environment? How did officials not hear him or respond in time? They are troubled by what they see as inconsistencies in the timeline and the circumstances.
“If somebody was stabbed a bunch of times, how do you not hear them scream?” Kelly asked. “It’s not like a gunshot; it’s not instant. How did he get stabbed without anyone noticing?”
Now, the family is planning a visit to the prison to demand answers directly. They’ve also engaged civil rights attorneys to explore a potential lawsuit, hoping it will bring to light any negligence that might have played a role in Cornelius’s death. Their goal is not only justice for their loved one, but also to raise awareness of the dangers and failures they believe are present within the prison system.
UWK reached out to the Department of Corrections asking for answers to these questions.
“The Department takes very serious the notification of next of kin when a death occurs. Per Department of Public Safety & Corrections regulation HCP44, which calls for death notification to family be made within 8 hours, the Dixon Correctional Institute chaplain notified family within an hour of Tuesday’s death and told relatives he had passed away. As this is an active criminal investigation by the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office, we are unable to provide further details.”
The pain of losing Cornelius in such a brutal way is compounded by what they see as a lack of transparency from those entrusted with his care. “We won’t stop until we have answers,” she vowed.
They hope to hold those responsible accountable and prevent any other family from experiencing the anguish they now face. The family has met with the East Feliciana Sheriff’s Office and said they are appreciative of their kindness and assistance helping them find justice.
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