After getting his sentence, speaking to the court, Shane got emotional and shared that when he was placed with Robert in the same cell, he was the victim in the situation and he tried his best to avoid the man but his emotions got the best of him when Robert detailed on the event of abuse with him. Shane apologized to Robert's family and wife for the pain he caused them and hoped that they heal from the incident.
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Shane Goldsby, 26 is facing additional 24 years of prison time after pleading guilty to second degree murder charges. Shane murdered his cellmate- a 70-year old convicted child rapist who abused his sister.
Shane reportedly beat his cellmate Robert Munger, 70, to death in June 2020.
Washington Department of Corrections
Robert was serving his 43-year prison term at the Airway Heights Correctional facility on multiple child molestation and child pornography charges, It was at this time Shane was assigned to his cell.
Shane shares that something snapped inside him when he heard Robert bragging about his crimes and in the prison common room he came up from behind and attacked him to the ground, before punching and kicking him in the face 14 times and then stomping on his head another four times before walking away.
Robert died three days later from his injuries.
Kelso Police Department
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Shane says that he killed Robert after discovering the cruel truth that his youngest sister, who is still a minor was one of his victims, KHQ reported.
'I had so much stuff going on in my head,' he said. 'I wasn't stable at that point. I wasn't. I was getting to that point, because (Munger) kept wanting to give me details about what happened, what he did – about the photos and the videos of him doing this stuff. It was building up.'
KHQ
The child's mother, Cindy Elliott, and an anonymous tipster told the station the Robert had raped the girl.
Shane shares that when he first came to know he couldn't believe it. But then he immediately requested a different cellmate however, his requests were ignored.
'I was in shock,' he said. 'I was like, 'what the f***?'... This stuff doesn't happen. You're talking the same institution, the same unit, the same pod in the same cell as this dude. That's like hitting the jackpot in the casino seven times.'
KHQ
Robert had been convicted in December 2019 for child rape, child molestation, and possession of child pornography.
While Shane was serving jail time for a 2017 incident when he stole a police vehicle and took police on a lengthy chase before crashing it into a Washington State Patrol vehicle and injuring the trooper inside.
wa.gov
Shane shares that he had gotten into a number of fights with corrections officers during his time in prison, and had been moved to multiple facilities before being transferred to Airway Heights. However, during his transfer, he was a changed man and he found God.
'I quit gangbanging. I was doing good,' he said.
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The Spokesman-Review reported, that according to The Washington Department of Corrections, it has a policy against such prison assignments but due to different last names, they were unable to find a connection between the two.
'There was no clear indication in the documentation regularly reviewed for housing assignments that there was a potential conflict,' DoC spokeswoman Janelle Guthrie said.
'You put me in the same cell as this dude,' Shane said. 'I feel set up. I'm the victim.'
As his sentencing was announced, Shane felt too emotional to form words, and his attorney, Victoria Lynn Blumhorst read it for him, the Spokesman-Review reported.
'I’m ashamed of my actions, I was put into a situation that I don’t wish on nobody,' she said on her client's behalf. 'I got a lot of fixing to do.'
Washington Department of Corrections
She informed the court that Shane had a troubled childhood while growing up and had been placed in 10 different foster homes before being reunited with his mother. His mother also began to use drugs with him.
According to the Spokesman-Review, Shane could have received 33 years however as per the prosecuting attorney, the additional 24 years were given to ensure the possibility that Robert's wife won't be alive upon his release.
In addition to his prison sentence, Shane is to serve three years of parole upon his release and pay Robert's family restitution, with a figure set at a later date, the outlet also reported.
'I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one in this kind of way,' Blumhorst said, continuing her client's apology. 'To his wife and his whole family I apologize. I am so sorry and I hope you are able to heal from what I caused.'
Shane has been in jail since he was 22-year old for his police vehicle stealing incident and had been transferred to Airway Heights after going through an inmate reform program.
Washington Department of Corrections