OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, we take a moment to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Marquel Ross. His death was a tragic event, and we recognize the pain and loss felt by those who cared for him. While we cannot undo this heartbreaking situation, we remain committed to ensuring safety and accountability within our facilities. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.

Tragically, Ross was the victim of a homicide at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in September 2024. While the agency does not typically disclose specific details regarding an inmate’s incarceration, the following provides factual information regarding Marquel Ross’ time in ODOC.

Ross was sentenced to serve two years in ODOC custody in January 2023 and entered the system in March. During April, he was placed at the Northeast Oklahoma Community Corrections Center in Vinita.

His disciplinary record began in May with his first misconduct for refusing a verbal order, followed by four additional infractions over the next three months. This pattern culminated in an Aug. 26, 2023, violation for possession of controlled dangerous substances. As a result, Ross was transferred in September to Howard McLeod Correctional Center, a minimum-security facility in Atoka.

Under state law and ODOC policy, inmates may earn time reduction credits as a privilege designed to incentivize proper behavior and participation in educational and rehabilitative programs. However, Ross’ continued misconduct impacted his eligibility for these credits.

Following an assault on staff in October 2023 – an incident that did not result in injury – Ross lost nearly a year’s worth of earned credits.

Given the severity of his behavior, he was reassessed for medium security and transferred to the Lexington Assessment and Reception Center for placement at Lawton Correctional Facility in late November.

While at LARC, Ross committed another serious violation, assaulting a transport officer by spitting in their face. Due to his escalating aggression and repeated misconduct, he was ultimately transferred to OSP, the agency’s maximum-security facility in McAlester.

Shortly after arriving at OSP, Ross received an additional misconduct for refusing housing, bringing his total to eight disciplinary violations within seven months.

Given his continued behavioral concerns, it was determined that he would remain in maximum security until he achieved a Level 4 status. It cannot be disputed that when Ross was transferred to OSP and at the time of his death on Sept. 12, 2024, he had not completed his sentence and had days remaining to serve.

OSP facility staff were made aware of Ross’ death at 2:08 p.m. on Sept. 12.

An ODOC Inspector General agent arrived to begin the investigation at 3:50 p.m. Facility staffinitiated contact attempts with Ross’ listed emergency contact at 4:29 p.m.

When those attempts were unsuccessful due to non-working numbers, staff sought assistance from the Tulsa Police Department at 6:48 p.m. At 8:45 p.m., TPD reported that officers visited the listed address, but no one knew Ross’ mother, Laquesta Ross.

Authorities also determined that the address on her driver’s license was invalid. Over the following days, ODOC staff and other law enforcement agencies made additional efforts to locate Ms. Ross’ current contact information but were unsuccessful.

On Sept. 13, VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) sent a message to Ross’ anonymous registrant stating there was a “custody status change” and advising them to contact ODOC’s Community Outreach.

VINE is a third-party service that has operated in Oklahoma since 2006, providing real-time offender custody updates to the public via phone, email, or text. Since registration is open to anyone, ODOC cannot consider VINE registrants as official points of contact.

After ODOC IG’s thorough investigation, detailed information was sent to the Pittsburg County District Attorney’s Office. The DA filed first-degree murder charges against Ross’ cellmate, Justin Harris, on Oct. 21, 2024.

“We take all acts of violence seriously, especially those resulting in loss of life. Ross’ cellmate was swiftly held accountable for his alleged actions, and my sympathies go out to Ross’ loved ones,” said ODOC Director Steven Harpe.

While this incident is concerning, this is just another example of Representative Justin Humphrey’s choice to exploit the tragedy to further his own public persona rather than engage in meaningful discussions about public safety and work toward meaningful solutions that benefit the citizens of Oklahoma.

He has repeatedly misrepresented facts, spread misinformation, or outright misled the public about the operations of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. His characterization of the incarceration and death of Marquel Ross is no different. His ongoing attacks against the agency and our dedicated correctional officers stem from his personal grievances, including his unsuccessful bid to become director, and he continues to use his platform to serve his own interests.

Representative Humphrey recently issued a news release containing multiple inaccuracies, including false claims that Director Harpe received a $90,000 salary increase, that ODOC unlawfully relocated to a different administration building, and that agency travel expenses were misrepresented. Each of these assertions is demonstrably false. Additionally, he referenced lawsuits filed by former employees but failed to disclose that legal counsel for some of these cases was recently disbarred.

“It is deeply disappointing and concerning that Representative Humphrey continues to promote false narratives and resort to ad hominem attacks rather than engaging with the facts,” said ODOC Chief of Public Relations Kay Thompson. “As we have stated repeatedly in news releases and public statements, his claims are not supported by evidence. Despite portraying himself as a corrections expert, he continues to misinterpret state statutes and misunderstand the complexities of correctional operations.”

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections remains steadfast in its mission to uphold public safety, maintain transparency and ensure accountability within our facilities. While we welcome constructive discussions on improving the correctional system, misinformation and personal agendas should never come at the expense of truth and responsible governance.

We remain focused on our duty to protect the citizens of Oklahoma, support our staff, and provide secure, rehabilitative environments for those in our care.