Sterling sentenced to 65 years for murder of a fellow inmate

Dec. 4—ANDERSON — An Indianapolis man already serving a 60-year sentence for murder was sentenced to 65 years for a death at the Pendleton Correctional Facility.

Madison Circuit Court Division 4 Judge David Happe sentenced Devin Sterling, 37, to 65 years for the 2018 murder of another inmate.

Sterling was serving a 60-year sentence for the 2007 murder of DeWayne Butts, 22, and the attempted murder of Marie Ball in Indianapolis during a community block party.

A jury convicted Sterling in the death of Ezekiel Jones, 30, of Fort Wayne on July 11, 2018, while the two men were serving prison sentences.

A detective with the Indiana State Police received an email from the Marion County Coroner's Office stating the cause of death for Jones was a stab wound to the neck and the manner of death was a homicide, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

"It is believed that Sterling stabbed Jones in retaliation for Jones stabbing Sterling over an incident at the shower in October of 2017," the affidavit states. "There is no doubt that Sterling stabbed Jones which resulted in Jones' death."

According to the affidavit, time-stamped photos show Sterling holding what officials believe is the murder weapon. Officials also believe Sterling was working with another inmate at the prison to "distract and position" Jones before the stabbing.

Video surveillance of the stabbing shows Sterling "make a violent swing" toward Jones who then falls to the ground, according to the affidavit.

"When the scene is frozen you can see the lethal weapon in Sterling's right hand," the affidavit states.

One of the inmates who witnessed the stabbing said he knew a couple of weeks beforehand that Sterling was going to attack Jones and he had "tried to make peace between them," according to the affidavit.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.