A California wife was strangled to death during a conjugal visit with her quadruple-murderer husband, leaving her family heartbroken and desperate for answers.
Stephanie Dowells, 62, was visiting her husband David Brinson, 54, at Mule Creek State Prison when she died just before 3am on November 13, 2024.
Brinson, who was convicted of four murders in 1993 and is in prison for life, used the visitor complex’s phone to alert guards his wife passed out, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) told KCRA.
Officials rushed to the private area and found Dowells unresponsive. She was pronounced dead about an hour later.
The Amador County Corner ruled her death a homicide and determined Dowells did not just ‘pass out’ – she had been strangled.
The CDCR is investigating the death, but Brinson has not been charged with anything related to the incident.
Dowells’ family, however, is certain Brinson is to blame and has called out the prison for putting the beloved hairstylist and small business owner in danger.
‘How could they just let this happen? I just don’t get it,’ Dowells’ son Armond Torres told KCRA.
David Brinson, 54, is a convicted quadruple-murderer who claimed his wife passed out during a conjugal visit in November 2024
Dowells was a beloved grandmother to her eight grandchildren and was the sole provider of her family
Binson and Dowells were seeing each other during an unsupervised visit at Mule Creek State Prison when Dowells died
‘My mom was just left alone, and she called for help, I’m sure, and there’s nothing she could do.
‘Given the history that this guy has, we kind of wanted to know how is it even possible for them to be unsupervised?’
The CDCR explained family visits take place ‘in private, apartment-like facilities on prison grounds,’ according to the department’s website.
These sessions are generally 30 to 40 hours long and the CDCR operations manual states an inmate having one of these visits must ‘present themselves’ at least four times within 24 hours.
An officer tasked with monitoring a visit can check in unannounced, but ‘every effort shall be made to ensure the privacy of the inmate and their visitor(s),’ according to the manual.
The only inmates who are barred from having conjugal visits are those convicted of sex offenses or on death row.
Prisoners who have just arrived at the facility and are going through the Reception Centers process, as well as those under disciplinary restrictions, are also prohibited from family visits.
A CDCR representative told KCRA: ‘Family visits are a privilege, and incarcerated persons must apply and meet strict eligibility criteria to be approved.
Stephanie Dowells, 62, was a hairstylist and small business owner who was reportedly strangled during a family visit with her husband
Dowells, known by loved ones as ‘Stevi’, was described as intelligent and generous, Her family said she was trying to help Brinson better his life
‘Only those who demonstrate sustained good behavior and meet specific program requirements are considered. These visits are designed to support positive family connections and successful rehabilitation.’
Dowells’ daughter-in-law Nataly Jimenez said Dowells, known by loved ones as ‘Stevi’, was trying to help her husband improve his life.
‘They would read the Bible together. He was in school in there because she was pushing him to try to be this better person,’ Jimenez told KCRA.
According to a GoFundMe set up by Dowells’ family, she was the sole provider for her elderly parents, two sons and eight grandchildren.
‘Stevi was a passionate hair stylist, small business owner, esteemed educator, and master Brazilian Blowout specialist,’ the page reads.
‘She continuously advanced her skills and generously shared her knowledge, mentoring numerous colleagues and guiding them toward brighter futures.’