Los Angeles County – A man serving four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the 1990 execution-style murders of four men in Los Angeles County has allegedly strangled his wife to death during a conjugal visit at Mule Creek State Prison. David Brinson, 54, is now under investigation for the death of his 62-year-old wife, Stephanie Brinson.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reported that on November 13, 2024, at approximately 2 a.m., Brinson informed prison officers that his wife had “passed out.” Despite attempts by prison staff to resuscitate her, Stephanie Brinson was pronounced dead shortly before 3 a.m.
Recent reports from the Independent confirm that the Amador County coroner has determined the cause of death to be strangulation. Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe has stated that he is awaiting the CDCR’s full investigative report before filing formal charges.
David Brinson was convicted in 1994 for the brutal murders of Robert Marks, 59, Gene McCullars, 28, Celedino Ligtas, 33, and William Terry, 27. The victims had gathered at Marks’ Mid-Wilshire apartment to watch a basketball game when Brinson and two accomplices, believing Marks to be a drug dealer, attempted to rob them. Finding only a small amount of marijuana, Brinson shot the four men execution-style as they lay face down on the bedroom floor.
The murders occurred on June 12, 1990. Brinson had been incarcerated at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California, where the alleged strangulation took place. Conjugal visits, also known as “family visits,” are conducted in private, apartment-like facilities within the prison grounds. These visits, lasting between 30 to 40 hours, are restricted to immediate family members, including spouses, parents, and children, according to the CDCR website.
Following his wife’s death, Brinson has been transferred to the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, a state prison designed to accommodate incarcerated individuals with long-term medical or acute mental health needs.
The investigation into Stephanie Brinson’s death is ongoing. Authorities are working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
