Accusations of murder deposited after the second woman killed during a marital visit to California State prison

The family of a woman who was strangled to death last year during a marital visit with her husband in a prison in northern California called for reforms after the death of a second woman in the same way.

Tania Thomas, 47, was killed in July when she visited her husband, Anthony Curry, during the night at Mule Creek’s state prison in Ione, according to Thomas’ cousin, Jeanine Rojo.

Curry was charged last week from murder in the death of Thomas and is expected to be arrested in April, according to the judicial archives. Thomas had been strangled to death.

Thomas’ family had not spoken of his murder, but decided to come forward after seeing Stephanie Brinson, 62, also killed in November when he visited her husband David Brinson, 54, in the same prison.

Brinson was not charged in the death of his wife. The investigation is underway.

Rojo called for more security precautions for visitors during marital visits, including recording on meetings and better projection of who should be eligible to receive one.

“They certainly need to make urgent changes, because people’s life is at stake here,” she said. “If they have not stopped these marital visits, they must certainly stop this now. The procedures must change to make it safer.”

Thomas met Curry in 1999 and got pregnant, said Rojo. The curry disappeared with another woman when he discovered that Thomas was pregnant.

When Thomas was in work, she saw Curry to the news because he was accused of having shot another woman, Synada Browning, in the head and throwing her body the same year. Browning survived the shooting but was blinded and left partially paralyzed. Curry, 48, was sentenced to life for life at an attempted murder in the second degree.

But Thomas found Curry when he was behind bars and married him secretly without saying his family in 2023, Rojo said. She added that Curry was denied parole last year but asked Thomas to “wait” to kill her.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation did not respond to a request for comments.

Stephanie Brinson visited her husband, David Brinson, in the same prison on November 13, according to the CDCR. Around 2 am, Brinson told the police that his wife had passed out. The police attempted rescue measures but she was declared dead at 2:51 am

County of Amador Dist. Atty. Todd Riebe confirmed that Stephanie Brinson had been killed during a marital visit. He said he had not received Mule Creek reports to make an indictment.

In 1994, Brinson was sentenced to four consecutive life mandates without the possibility of parole to kill four men during a flight in an apartment in Los Angeles, Times reported. He is currently incarcerated in the California health care center in Stockton.

Conjugal visits aim to promote family connections, according to the correction service. Detainees found guilty of sexual crimes, under disciplinary restrictions or in the death corridor are not eligible for night visits.

Visits take place in establishments of apartments in terms of private prison and prison, according to the ministry. They last from 30 to 40 hours; Inmates must present themselves four times for a count in a period of 24 hours.