By Denise Blaz
Abilene Reporter-News
DALLAS, Texas — A fight with another inmate resulted in the death of a 47-year-old Dallas man serving time at the Middleton Unit, a state prison official said Friday, the first such death there since at least 2005.
Mark Anthony Rauls was injured Sunday and died Tuesday morning after being taken off life support at an Abilene hospital. Rauls’ death is being investigated as a homicide by the Office of the Inspector General.
No homicides have been recorded at Middleton or Robertson Unit in the past seven years, according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice records that go back only to 2005.
The fight between inmates Rauls and Cody Lane Vernon, 22, of Gatesville, happened about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, said Jason Clark, spokesman for the TDCJ.
Rauls was injured when his head struck the concrete floor, Clark said.
He was taken to the unit’s medical department, then transferred to Hendrick Medical Center, where doctors determined he had a head injury, Clark said. Shortly afterward, Rauls was put on life support in the intensive care unit.
He was taken off life support and died at 8:55 a.m. Tuesday.
Clark said Rauls was imprisoned Aug. 17, 1989, to serve a 30-year sentence from Dallas County for burglary of a building.
Rauls was back behind bars as a parole violator Jan. 9, 1995, with an additional 25-year sentence from Dallas County for theft of property.
“Rauls was paroled several times,” Clark said, “and most recently returned on May 21, 2012.”
Vernon was imprisoned Dec. 8, 2008, to serve a five-year sentence imposed in Coryell County for burglary of a habitation, Clark said.
Rauls died after being taken off life support. Vernon is serving a fiveyear sentence for burglary.
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