Inmate accused of attacking cellmate with pair of homemade knives

ANADARKO — An Oklahoma Department of Corrections inmate is accused of using two homemade knives to attack a cellmate at the Great Plains Correctional Center in Hinton.

On Wednesday, the Caddo County District Court issued a felony arrest warrant for Antonio Juan Monroy for charges of assault, battery or assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of weapons by an inmate, records indicate. Due to prior convictions, the assault charge is punishable by between 20 years to life in prison.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections Agent Joey Bales stated he was assigned the investigation into the Oct. 19, 2023, incident at the prison.

Bales spoke with Monroy’s cellmates, who said he’d been “acting strange” for two to three days prior to the attack, including talking to himself and acting like someone was trying to get him, the warrant affidavit states. On that night after the inmates were locked down and in bed, Monroy taped papers and magazines around his torso, strapped two homemade knives with wrist straps and attacked one of the sleeping inmates, Bales stated. The inmate was stabbed five times.

The targeted inmate woke up and defended himself. Five other cellmates awakened and helped get Monroy under control, punching him, putting him in a headlock and getting the knives away, the affidavit states. Monroy and one of the cellmates were treated and released from OU Medical in Oklahoma City. The targeted inmate was treated and released from the prison’s medical unit.

Bales stated the two knives were found and retrieved from a trash can.

Monroy is serving a 22-year sentenced for a 2017 conviction on Tulsa County for robbery or attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, according to ODOC records. He also has prior felony convictions in Tulsa County: March 2014 for carrying contraband into jail, unauthorized use of a vehicle and mistreating a police dog; July 2015, possession of a stolen vehicle, unauthorized use of a vehicle, carrying contraband into jail and mistreating a police dog; and September 2015 for eluding police and possession of a controlled substance.

Records indicate Monroy has been moved to the Mack Alford Correctional Center in Stringtown.