Inset, left to right: William Eugene Romero and Crystal Janelle West (Potter County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The William P. Clements Unit in Amarillo, Texas, where the defendants were working as prison guards during the fatal incident (TDCJ).
Two prison guards in Texas face arrest over the alleged refusal to release an inmate from his cell during a visible fire, leading to his death.
Sgt. Crystal Janelle West and Lt. William Eugene Romero were apprehended over the weekend, with felony charges pressed against them for the fatal incident.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed to Law&Crime the Sunday arrest of two employees “for their role in the failure to render aid to an inmate at the William P. Clements Unit,” located in Amarillo.
The TDCJ reported that around 3:18 a.m. on Sunday, staff at the Clements Unit “entered the cell of an inmate who lit a fire and had become unresponsive.”
The inmate, whose identity was not revealed, was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
The agency is collaborating with the Office of the Inspector General and the Special Prosecution Unit “to ensure those staff allegedly failing to act will face accountability and full legal prosecution,” they stated. “Sgt. Crystal West faces a manslaughter charge, a second-degree felony, while Lt. William Romero is charged with Criminal Negligence Homicide, a state jail felony. Both individuals are no longer employed with the agency.”
TDCJ said it could not provide any additional information, emphasizing that the criminal investigation into the former employees remains ongoing.
While additional details have not been disclosed through official channels, local CBS affiliate KFDA reportedly spoke with an anonymous source at the agency who provided more context about the circumstances of the fatal fire.
According to the report, the inmate who died was being housed in the prison’s extended cell block, which is the facility’s highest security level. At some point early Sunday morning, the inmate was reportedly able to set fire to his mattress. The inmate was then ordered to place his hands through the cell’s food tray opening so he could be restrained, but he reportedly refused.
The guards then called for assistance from West, their supervisor. West reportedly saw what was happening and sought assistance from Romero.
The source told KFDA that Romero instructed West to leave the food slot closed, saying he did not want it opened.
“It’s just gonna stay shut,” Romero reportedly said, per the source. “We’re not opening it. It’s a safety risk.”
West reportedly returned to the cell about an hour later.
“She has the common sense to open the food tray slot, which is just billowing smoke out of an 8 x 10 cell,” the source reportedly said.
West then “walked away,” the source said. She also reportedly told the inmate “she would not pull him out of the cell, she wouldn’t open the door.”
“She refused to help in any way,” said the source.
Both defendants were being held in the Potter County Detention Center as of Tuesday afternoon, jail records show. West is being held in lieu of $200,000 bond while Romero was being held on $150,000 bond. It was not immediately clear when they were scheduled to appear in court.
