A 25-year-old inmate at Airway Heights Corrections Center in Washington fatally stomped his 70-year-old cellmate’s head after discovering the man had raped his underage sister.
The Deadly Confrontation
On June 2, 2020, Shane Goldsby attacked Robert Munger, who was serving a 43-year sentence for child rape, child molestation, and possession of indecent images of children. Goldsby expressed disbelief at sharing a cell with his sister’s attacker, stating a month later, “This stuff doesn’t happen. You’re talking the same institution, the same unit, the same pod in the same cell as this dude. That’s like hitting the jackpot in the casino seven times.”
Goldsby was incarcerated for stealing a police vehicle. Officials determined no prior connection was identified between the two due to differing family surnames.
Escalating Tensions and Failed Requests
Situations intensified as Munger reportedly described the assault, including details about photos and videos. Goldsby repeatedly requested a cell change upon arriving in the unit, saying, “When I showed up in that unit, I walked out of that pod, went to an office and said ‘Hey, I need a new cellie.'” Prison staff ignored these pleas, and no guard responded to an emergency alarm Goldsby activated before the attack.
Goldsby later reflected, “So, in my head, I’m not in my head at this point in time. I’m completely feeling like this is what they wanted to happen.”
Sentencing and Remorse
In August 2021, Goldsby received an additional 298 months—nearly 25 years—for the killing. Overcome with emotion, he had his attorney read a statement apologizing to Munger’s family: “I’m ashamed of my actions, I was put into a situation that I don’t wish on nobody. I got a lot of fixing to do. I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one in this kind of way. To (Munger’s) wife and his whole family I apologise. I am so sorry and I hope you are able to heal from what I caused.”
Goldsby’s Troubled Past
Court proceedings revealed Goldsby’s abusive childhood, including mistreatment by his drug-addicted mother, who sometimes chained him outside. Social services placed him in 10 foster homes. He later reunited with his mother and used drugs together. By age 22, he entered the intensive management unit before transfer to Airway Heights, where the incident occurred.
Prison Response
The Washington Department of Corrections described the event as an “unfortunate and complicated incident.” Officials noted that cellmate screening policies should have prevented the pairing, but staff lacked knowledge of the victims’ connection.
