Georgetown murderer killed in SC prison riot

One of the seven inmates killed at the Lee Correctional Institution was serving a life sentence for a 2012 murder in Georgetown.

Damonte Marquez Rivera was one of the inmates who was killed Sunday night, according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

Late Sunday into Monday, during a 7-hour fight at Lee County facility. seven inmates died and 17 more were injured

Rivera, 24, was serving a life sentence for his role that left Alfonza Thomas dead. Thomas was with Rivera and other men when they broke into a home and demanded money on Aug 30, 2012. in the murder and home invasion

Rivera was convicted of murder, burglary, armed robbery and kidnapping.

After the robbery — in which the suspects pointed a gun at a 10-year-old and toddler — Rivera and Anthony Fraser shot Thomas from behind, according to The Sun News' archives.

Thomas was found dead in a wooded area near a path between Legion and Church streets.

Rivera moved to Lee Correctional in November 2017, according to prison records. While in Department of Corrections custody he three times was caught with or trying to get a cell phone. He was also disciplined for possession of contraband.

He also served time in three other maximum security, or Level 3, facilities, McCormick, Lieber and Kirkland.

The DOC lists a Level 3 prisons as places to house "violent offenders with longer sentences, and inmates who exhibit behavioral problems. Housing consists of single and double cells, and all perimeters are double-fenced with extensive electronic surveillance.

Inmates are closely supervised and movements inside the prison are highly restricted, according to DOC.

According to The State, the prison had several violent events in recent years. Three weeks ago an as inmates briefly took control of a dorm at Bishopville. officer was held hostage

An inmate also died during a fight at the prison last July. In January 2016, five inmates were injured in a fight, and five months later, an inmate was killed and another hurt during an incident.

Lee Correctional is a maximum security prison.

This story was originally published April 16, 2018 at 12:26 PM with the headline "Georgetown murderer killed in SC prison riot."