2 Women Fatally Strangled On Conjugal Visits to Same Calif. Prison Months Apart

Two women were allegedly strangled to death during conjugal visits to their husbands at the same California prison — just four months apart.

Tania Thomas, 47, is believed to have been strangled to death while visiting her husband last July at Mule Creek State Prison in California.

Four months later, in November, Stephanie Dowells, 62, was also reportedly strangled while visiting her husband at the same facility, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation told NBC.

Thomas’ husband, Anthony Curry, is serving a life sentence for attempted second-degree murder, according to the outlet. He was recently charged with murder in connection with Thomas’ killing. 

Dowells’ husband, David Brinson, 54, was initially convicted of murdering four men during a robbery in the 1990s and had been sentenced to four consecutive life terms without parole, according to NBC. 

The Amador County Coroner’s Office told NBC they ruled Dowells’ death a homicide but are still investigating what caused her death. 

“Something needs to be done, and it should have been done two homicides ago,” Jeanine Rojo, Thomas’ cousin, said to NBC. “I’m sick to my stomach that this happened to Tania, but then it happened again just months after her to Stephanie,” she added, “it should have been prevented.” 

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says some incarcerated people are eligible for family visits which take place in apartment-like facilities on prison grounds. They can last from 30-40 hours, according to their website. 

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“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,” the CDCR previously said in a statement to PEOPLE. 

Both families say they want to see the eligibility change for those who are allowed conjugal visits, according to NBC. They believe neither Thomas’ husband or Dowells’ husband should have been allowed visits because they were convicted of violent crimes. 

Dowells’ son, Armand Torres, 28, believes that these visits, however much supervision they have now, should be at a higher level. 

“I want them to take some accountability for this, the prison,” Dowells’ son Armand Torres, 28, said, per NBC. “Because what’s stopping the next person from killing their wife or son or anybody?”