Samuel Stone, Murder, California 2003

Federal Prisoner Charged with Murder of Cellmate in California

A shocking crime has shaken the justice system in California. Samuel Stone, 32, has been charged with first degree murder and murder by a federal prisoner serving a life sentence.

The indictment alleges that on July 30, 2003, Stone murdered his cellmate, Michael Anita, while the two were being housed in the Special Housing Unit at U.S. Penitentiary Atwater. At the time of the murder, Stone was serving a life sentence for two separate homicides that took place in 1999.

The maximum statutory penalties for Stone are life in prison or death. The government has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty in this case.

The charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana S. Landau for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Unit.

Samuel Stone, the defendant, is a 32-year-old federal prisoner serving a life sentence for two separate homicides that took place in 1999. The exact date of the crime is July 30, 2003. The sentence or outcome for Stone has not yet been determined.

At this time, there are no dollar amounts associated with this case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/federal-prisoner-charged-california-murder-cellmate