Walla Walla inmate serving time for Auburn murder dies in cell after call for medical aid

A 34-year-old convicted killer serving a 40-year sentence has died at the Washington State Penitentiary.

Cleanthony Baby Ray Jimerson was responsive when prison staff responded to his cell at 10:30 p.m. Dec. 5, said prison officials.

Staff determined he needed to be taken to the on-site health services building for evaluation, said Allison Window, a spokeswoman for the Walla Walla prison.

But as they were getting ready to move Jimerson, he suddenly became unresponsive and limp, Window told the Tri-City Herald.

Corrections officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived. They took over life-saving measures but were unable to revive him.

Jimerson was pronounced dead in his cell by paramedics just after 11 p.m., Window said.

The Walla Walla County Coroner’s Office will handle the autopsy and determine why he died.

Window said the prison does not do an investigation, but a review. That involves various Department of Corrections staff across the state coming in and auditing the penitentiary’s processes “just to make sure we followed everything we are supposed to,” she said.

Jimerson was involved in a March 2013 gunfight outside the Sports Page Tavern in Auburn. The Kent man fatally shot two men at close range.

He was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, and had an estimated release date of February 2052.

This story was originally published December 9, 2019 at 6:31 PM.