Racine County Jail attack, intentional homicide charge recommended
RACINE, Wis. - A Racine man jailed in a pending attempted homicide case is now suspected of attacking a fellow inmate on Dec. 31, leaving the victim on life support.
Kenosha County investigators on Friday recommended a charge of first-degree intentional homicide for the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Davonte Carraway. The criminal investigation remains ongoing.
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Victim on life support
The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department said the victim, 35-year-old Joseph Lee, was pronounced dead on New Year's Day. The victim's family told FOX6 News he is unlikely to pull through and will be taken off life support on Sunday.
"I got hold of an investigator, and they told me to get here as soon as possible: It was life or death," said Alyssa Sura, who shares three children with Lee and lives out of state.
Jail attack
Investigators said Carraway attacked Lee while in the Racine County Jail's day room on Tuesday afternoon. Shortly after, a correctional officer finished a safety and security check. It was only on the next security check that the correctional officer found the victim and then began lifesaving attempts.
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It's unclear how much time went by between the attack and when the victim was found. The Racine County Sheriff's Office said no emergency buttons were pressed by any of the other inmates who saw the attack.
"We're not doing good," Sura said. "This was a horrible tragedy that didn't need to happen to nobody."
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Court cases
Court records show Carraway has an open attempted homicide case that dates back to October 2022, when prosecutors said he shot a man.
Lee was transferred from Wisconsin Department of Corrections custody to the Racine County Jail in late November to appear for an open case.