Inmate serving life sentence allegedly strangles wife to death during conjugal visit

A mass murderer serving life in prison was accused of strangling his wife during a conjugal visit in his California prison, according to prosecutors.

David Brinson, already serving life for four murders, had claimed that his wife, Stephanie Dowells, a 62-year-old grandmother, had fainted when she was found dead after an unsupervised overnight visit in November 2024 at the Mule Creek State Prison near Sacramento.

But an investigation showed that his wife had been strangled, with her death ruled a homicide, prosecutors told KCRA.

Prosecutors said they are waiting for cops to wrap up the investigation before they file further charges against the husband, who is already serving life without the possibility of parole for gunning down four people during a 1994 robbery.

It was not immediately clear how long the pair had been married.

Dowells’ two children are demanding to know how she could be left alone with a known violent killer.

“How could they just let this happen? I just don’t get it,” her son, Armand Torres, told the outlet.

“Given the history that this guy has, we kind of wanted to know how is it even possible for them to be unsupervised?

“My mom was just left alone, and she called for help, I’m sure, and there’s nothing she could do,” he added.

The only inmates currently banned from so-called family visits — which are held “in private, apartment-like facilities on prison grounds” and can last up to 40 hours — are those on death row or sex offenders, the California Department of Corrections site states.

“Family visits are a privilege, and incarcerated persons must apply and meet strict eligibility criteria to be approved,” a spokesperson for the department said.

“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 the slain victim was pushing her spouse to be a better person, despite his past.

“They would read the Bible together,” she said. “He was in school in there because she was pushing him to try to be this better person.”