Latavious Johnson, an inmate on death row in Arkansas, passed away on Friday afternoon at the Varner SuperMax prison. The Arkansas Department of Corrections reported that Johnson, who was in his 40s, died of unknown causes, but did not provide further details about the circumstances of his death. Inquiries directed at the department for additional information received no immediate response.

Johnson had a tumultuous legal history. In 2000, he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his father, Johnnie Johnson. Later, in 2012, he was sentenced to death for the murder of Barbara Ester, a prison guard. Court records indicate that Johnson brutally stabbed Ester three times with a makeshift weapon, known as a shank, ultimately puncturing her heart. At the time of her death, Ester was investigating whether Johnson had acquired unauthorized gym shoes within the prison.

In the aftermath of the murder, Johnson expressed remorse for his actions. His lawyers shared a statement he made to police, where he reflected on his decisions. “I should have just gave the shoes up, just said to hell with it, asked someone to send me some money and order me some more. It’s too late for all that now,” he stated during an interview with a police investigator, as recorded in the court documents.

The facility where Johnson was incarcerated, Varner SuperMax, has also been associated with memorializing Ester’s contributions as a corrections officer; a corrections facility in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, is named in her honor.

Latavious Johnson’s death has raised questions about health and safety conditions within Arkansas prisons, especially concerning inmates on death row. The lack of transparency surrounding his cause of death has prompted calls for improved communication from the Arkansas Department of Corrections regarding the well-being of inmates.

Overall, Johnson's life was marked by violence and crime, starting with the murder of his father and culminating in the death of a prison guard. His passing, under mysterious circumstances, underscores ongoing concerns about the criminal justice system and the treatment of inmates within correctional facilities.