ABILENE, Texas, July 17 (UPI) — An inmate killed a female corrections officer at a men’s prison near Abilene, Texas Saturday.
Mari Johnson, 55, was found in the kitchen area of the French Robertson Unit, a maximum security prison, about 3 a.m. Saturday. She was unresponsive and later died at a local hospital, Texas Department of Criminal Justice public information officer Robert Hurst said.
“The state of Texas mourns for Mari Johnson, a correctional officer who was senselessly murdered last night by an inmate,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news release, CNN reported.
“Texas will ensure the perpetrator receives swift justice, and TDCJ has been instructed to take all necessary measures to enhance the safety of their staff to prevent such tragedies,” the governor said.
The department is investigating the killing as a homicide, NBC reported.
Officials have yet to name the suspect or the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Johnson made the ultimate sacrifice, said Brad Livingston, executive director of TDJC. “Corrections officers have one of the most difficult jobs in all of state government, protecting the public from dangerous individuals. Ms. Johnson made the ultimate sacrifice to keep this state safe. She will never be forgotten.”
Johnson had been with correctional agency since 2009.
