Arizona prison inmate died days before he was to be released. His family is seeking answers
Valentine’s Day was supposed to bring wedded bliss for Casa Grande residents Cindy Dale and Sean Gorham. Instead, Tuesday will be another day Dale is left wondering why her fiance died just days before she and his family say he was scheduled to be released from prison.
Gorham died Dec. 23 while incarcerated for a nonviolent offense at the privately run Florence West Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility in Florence. His death came four days after his 51st birthday and four days before his release, according to his family.
The Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of death as suicide. But Dale, 47, and those closest to Gorham told The Arizona Republic there was nothing to suggest he would have taken his life. A long-planned wedding, an emerging business and a large, supportive family were all waiting for Gorham outside the prison gates.
"He was very excited about his future, getting this past him," said Gorham’s sister, Mandi Gorham, 45, adding that his loved ones were anticipating belated birthday and Christmas celebrations. "Instead of us being able to hug him, we're at a funeral home viewing his body."
Sean Gorham was among five reported Arizona inmate suicides between Dec. 16 and Jan. 8. The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry on Friday told The Republic it was still investigating Gorham’s death.
Questions abound
The Republic obtained a copy of Gorham’s autopsy report filed on Dec. 26. Gorham had no skeletal fractures, and he was found in his cell about 15 minutes after he was last seen alive, according to the report.
"History reportedly includes suicidal ideation and previous placement on suicide watch," the autopsy report read.
It was unclear how recently before his death was Gorham on suicide watch. Citing an active investigation, the Department of Corrections declined to comment when questioned by The Republic on Friday afternoon.
"What are they lacking in there? They're not seeing this happen to other people? There's something they're not doing," Mandi Gorham said. "We have a lot of questions and we feel like we're not getting answers."
Sean Gorham’s 26-year-old daughter Frances Gorham said she is still not convinced her father would take his life.
"That’s not my dad. That’s not something he would do," she said.
Frances Gorham said Florence prison staff told her medical professionals were consulted by phone when her father was pronounced dead. The Department of Corrections’ death notification on Sean Gorham indicates these medical professionals were at Mountain Vista Medical Center, which is more than 35 miles away in Mesa.
She does not understand why he was not taken to a hospital if a medical consultation was needed to determine her father’s death.
"Could they have done something to maybe save him?" Frances Gorham said.
Frances Gorham asked prison staff if she could talk with the two guards who had been tasked with watching her father. She said she found it unsettling to hear from prison staff that the guards were on vacation just two days after her father’s death. Sean Gorham's belongings have yet to be released to her or anyone else, she said.
A future undone
Sean Gorham was sentenced in 2019 out of Apache County for the March 2016 offenses of theft of means of transportation and drug paraphernalia, according to inmate records. Gorham was paroled in 2021, his family explained. Maricopa County court records indicate he had a June 11 violation for a dangerous drug possession.
Whatever led him back to prison, the three women in Sean Gorham’s life said he was determined to do right upon release. His history of compassion proved that to them. He had been a caregiver for his ailing grandfather in the octogenarian’s last two years of life.
"He had a big heart," Mandi Gorham said.
Corrections Department records show Gorham was part of the Merging 2 Worlds program, which fosters professional and life development through Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.
Mandi Gorham said her brother had earned a contractor’s license and was going to launch a landscaping business. He had six children and 11 grandchildren waiting for him to come home.
"My oldest daughter was literally everything to him. That was his world," Frances Gorham said.
Sean Gorham’s fiancee of a year and a half Cindy Dale regularly spoke with him over the phone during his incarceration. The couple would message each other daily as Gorham had access to a tablet in prison. They often talked about their Feb. 14 wedding where, instead of valentines, the sweethearts would exchange vows before a small gathering of family.
Dale had been anticipating a day she imagined would be the first in a lifetime of joy with Gorhan, who she said always managed to make her smile and laugh.
But before their wedding day, they were going to make up for time lost while Gorham was away by celebrating his birthday and Christmas.
"He said, 'We’ll just have a big party for New Year’s,'" Dale shared.
Free mental health resources are available to anyone in Arizona. A statewide mental health crisis line is available at 844-534-HOPE (4673). Another resource for 24/7 help is to dial 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in July replaced the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.Teen Lifeline is for kids to call and get free, confidential and anonymous help from trained peers at 602-248-8336 (TEEN) or 800-248-8336 (TEEN) outside of Maricopa County.
Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter: @jrgzztx.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Family confounded by Arizona prison inmate's death days before release
