“Smoke Him Out”: Texas Guards Accused of Watching Inmate Burn to Death in Locked Cell

AMARILLO, TEXAS – Two Texas prison guards are facing serious criminal charges after allegedly watching an inmate burn to death in his locked cell for more than two hours — ignoring his desperate pleas for help and telling others to “smoke him out.”

Guards Allegedly Ignored Prisoner’s Cries for Hours

Authorities said Sgt. Crystal Janelle West and Lt. William Eugene Romero, both with the William P. Clements Unit in Amarillo, refused to help 39-year-old Corey Shawn Bavousett, who had set fire to his own mattress on September 29, 2024.

Rather than attempting a rescue, Romero reportedly ordered staff to seal the cell’s food slot, cutting off ventilation, and said, “He started the fire, so he can deal with it.”

For nearly two and a half hours, Bavousett’s cell filled with smoke while West and Romero continued normal duties without opening the door or calling for help.

“They knew the cell was full of smoke,” investigators wrote. “They just let him die.”

“Smoked Out” as He Died Behind a Locked Door

According to a report obtained by KVII Amarillo, West first tried to clear the smoke by opening the food tray slot but was overruled by Romero, who told her to close it and “let him be smoked out.”

By 2:30 a.m., the smoke was so thick officers could barely see inside the cell — but Bavousett was still alive, pleading to be let out.

When West contacted Romero again, he told her to “open it, clear some smoke, then close it again.”

By 3 a.m., Bavousett was unresponsive. The cell remained locked for another 21 minutes before Romero finally reported the incident to his superiors.

Emergency medical teams arrived at 3:32 a.m., describing the call as an inmate suffering “chest pains.” Bavousett was pronounced dead at 4:09 a.m.

Officers Admit They Ignored the Risk

During questioning, West admitted that she knew Romero’s orders were wrong but obeyed them anyway.

“She was aware of her conduct but consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk to the inmate’s life,” the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) said in its report.

TDCJ confirmed that both officers have since been terminated and are now facing criminal charges.

• Sgt. Crystal West – charged with manslaughter (a second-degree felony)
• Lt. William Romero – charged with criminally negligent homicide (a state jail felony)

“Those staff who failed to act will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” TDCJ said in a statement.

Prison System Under Fire

The case has reignited criticism over Texas prison conditions and the lack of oversight in high-security facilities like the Clements Unit.

Advocates say the incident exposes a “culture of cruelty and neglect” within the system, calling for independent monitoring of inmate safety.

Bavousett’s death marks the second inmate fatality at the Clements Unit in under a year linked to staff misconduct.

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