Twenty Charged in Connection to Deadly Prison Brawl at Ely State Prison
Prosecutors in Nevada have announced charges against twenty individuals in connection with a violent prison brawl at Ely State Prison in July 2024 that resulted in the deaths of three inmates. The announcement, made by the Nevada Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday, follows an extensive investigation into the incident, which prompted a lockdown of the maximum-security facility and raised serious questions about safety and security within the state’s correctional system.
The charges filed against the twenty defendants are severe, including first-degree murder and attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon with intent to promote or assist a criminal gang. This suggests a high degree of premeditation and gang involvement in the fatal incident.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford emphasized the commitment to holding those responsible accountable, stating, "The pursuit of justice does not stop at the prison gates, and those responsible for the deaths of the three inmates at Ely State Prison will be held accountable. We remain committed to ensuring that violence and misconduct within our state correctional system are met with the full force of the law."
The investigation, led by the White Pine County Sheriff’s Office, involved collaboration with numerous state and local agencies, including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Sparks Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nevada Office of Inspector General. This multi-agency approach underscores the seriousness of the incident and the dedication to a thorough and comprehensive investigation.
The deadly brawl occurred on July 30, 2024, at approximately 9:40 a.m. local time. The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a large fight between inmates at Ely State Prison. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that three inmates had died and several others required immediate medical attention. A total of eight inmates were injured in the altercation and transported to a local medical facility, some by medical helicopter, for treatment of their wounds. No officers were injured during the incident.
Following the incident, the prison was placed on lockdown for at least two days. The Nevada Governor’s Office confirmed that the fight was gang-related. While authorities did not disclose the specific weapons used, the Sheriff’s Office reported that the three deceased inmates succumbed to multiple sharp force injuries.
Ely State Prison, located north of the city of Ely, approximately 60 miles west of the Nevada-Utah state line, is one of six prisons in Nevada and has a maximum capacity of 1,183 inmates.
In the aftermath of the brawl, the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) announced a significant change in its security protocols. In September, High Desert State Prison in southern Nevada was designated as the state’s new maximum-security facility, replacing Ely State Prison, which was transitioned to a medium-security facility. This transition involved the transfer of nearly 2,000 inmates between the two facilities.
The NDOC stated that the change would ensure that the "highest-risk offenders be housed where staffing levels are greater, and the institution is closer to outside law-enforcement and medical services, if necessary." High Desert State Prison is also a newer facility with higher perimeter security standards, further enhancing its ability to manage maximum-security inmates.
The three inmates who died in the brawl were identified as Connor Brown, 22; Anthony Williams, 41; and Zackaria Luz, 43. All three were pronounced dead at Ely State Prison.
Connor Brown had been serving a sentence of seven to 20 years for robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, stemming from a 2020 incident in Reno, Nevada, where he stabbed a gas station clerk and a casino patron. Anthony Williams was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for open murder and being a habitual criminal. Zackaria Luz was serving a sentence of seven to 18 years for racketeering.
Notably, both Luz and Williams were identified as members of the Aryan Warriors, a white supremacist prison gang. They were among 23 members indicted in 2019 on over 150 charges, including drug trafficking, racketeering, and murder. The indictment implicated Williams in the 2016 murder of Andrew Ryan Thurgood at High Desert State Prison and identified Luz as the leader of the Aryan Warriors. At the time of the indictment, the Aryan Warriors were described as an organized para-military group with operatives both within the prison system and in the Las Vegas community.
The announcement of the charges comes amid ongoing criticism and scrutiny of prison conditions nationwide. Criminal justice reform advocates have raised concerns about dangerous conditions in prisons across the country. Federal and state investigations have uncovered pervasive problems, including official misconduct, corruption, and physical and sexual abuse by staff.
In December 2022, 39 incarcerated individuals at Ely State Prison participated in a hunger strike to protest inadequate food portions and poor living conditions. Similar conditions have been reported at numerous facilities across the U.S., according to the Vera Institute of Justice, a non-profit think tank focused on criminal justice reform.
The Vera Institute of Justice reported in 2023 that prisons are often overcrowded and understaffed, leading to unsafe and inhumane conditions. The organization cited several incidents at facilities in Illinois, California, and New York involving allegations of violence, abuse, and an increase in inmate deaths.
Another high-profile case involved the Georgia Department of Corrections. A 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that inmates in Georgia facilities were subjected to "horrific" conditions that violated the Constitution’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment.
The sexual abuse of adult inmates is also a persistent problem in U.S. jails and prisons. Thousands of inmate-on-inmate and staff-on-inmate incidents were reported between 2016 and 2018, according to a Justice Department special report released in 2023.
A federal prison for female inmates in Dublin, California, was closed last year following a series of criminal indictments against prison employees accused of exploiting their authority and sexually abusing inmates in their custody.
The charges brought against the twenty individuals connected to the Ely State Prison brawl are a significant step towards accountability for the deaths of the three inmates. However, they also highlight the broader systemic issues plaguing correctional facilities across the nation, including gang violence, inadequate staffing, and unsafe living conditions. Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive approach involving increased oversight, improved training, and a commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of both inmates and staff.
