Henry Gordon, age 48, was sentenced to 30 years for killing Michael Jones while they both were housed in the McCormick Correctional Institution. Gordon pled guilty to Murder last week and Circuit Court Judge Eugene C. Griffith, Jr., sentenced him.

Gordon was already serving a life sentence in the South Carolina Department of Corrections for a 1992 murder out of Richland County. Jones was serving time for eight counts of forgery, one shoplifting, and an unlawful carrying of a pistol out of North Charleston. McCormick Correctional Institution is a Level 3 high security prison designed primarily to house violent offenders and inmates with behavioral problems.

Solicitor Rick Hubbard commented that “although Gordon is serving a life sentence, he was eligible for parole as early as next year. He will not be eligible for parole for this second murder conviction.” Senior Assistant Solicitor Rhonda Patterson handled the prosecution of this case for the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

On September 25, 2016, Gordon stabbed Jones multiple times in the neck, head, back, and shoulder. The stab wounds of the back were fatal. The stabbing took place in one of the dorms at the prison and it was captured on video. Gordon was positively identified as the inmate that attacked Jones. Just prior to the stabbing, another inmate was observed handing Gordon a shank that was used in the murder. During this investigation, several cells in the dorm were searched and six shanks were located – one of which had what appeared to be blood on it.