Montco jail inmate accused of homicide found dead
NORRISTOWN >> An inmate at the Montgomery County jail awaiting trial for allegedly fatally stomping on his cellmate’s head was found dead in his cell last weekend and his death was ruled a suicide.
Joseph Michael Hodum, 38, of the 3000 block of Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, died at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on July 27, Warden Julio M. Algarin and officials of the county Coroner’s Office confirmed.
“An autopsy was done by one of our forensic pathologists and the cause of death was determined to be hanging,” First Deputy Coroner Alexander Balacki said on Wednesday, adding the manner of death was determined to be suicide.
Additional details about Hodum’s death and how the death was discovered at the jail were not released.
Earlier this year, Hodum was charged with firstand third-degree murder and assault by a prisoner in connection with the assault and subsequent death of fellow inmate Stephen Klampfer, 50, of Norristown.
At the time of his death, Hodum was awaiting a preliminary hearing on the charges before District Court Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar of Collegeville. On Monday, court records were updated to indicate the case was “dismissed” and “defendant deceased.”
Hodum originally was charged with assault and attempted murder after a March 30 incident at the jail in Lower Providence. However, Klampfer died on April 13 and prosecutors later upgraded the charges against Hodum to homicide.
“Hodum admitted to detectives that he physically attacked Klampfer after Klampfer made sexual overtures to him, just prior to the assault,” county Detective Gregory I. Henry wrote in a criminal complaint, referring to statements Hodum made to detectives while being questioned on March 30.
“During this interview, Hodum admitted to punching the victim in the face and ‘stomping on his head’ three or four times, and continued after Klampfer appeared unconscious,” Henry alleged.
The alleged attack occurred about 8:27 a.m. March 30 while Hodum and Klampfer were sharing a cell in the jail’s medical wing.
Klampfer was admitted to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia with serious injuries and remained unconscious until his April 13 death, according to court papers. An autopsy determined Klampfer died of complications of “blunt impact head trauma” and the manner of death was ruled to be homicide.
Two correctional officers told detectives they were situated in a control booth adjacent to the cell in which Hodum and Klampfer were housed when they observed Hodum standing at the cell door “yelling” and appearing “agitated,” according to the criminal complaint.
“At this time, Klampfer was lying on the back bunk with his blanket pulled up,” Henry alleged. “Hodum then turned and walked toward Klampfer and began punching him, striking Klampfer approximately a dozen times in the head. Klampfer fell to the floor and Hodum began stomping his head with his foot.”
One correctional officer claimed Hodum continued “to stomp” on the left side of Klampfer’s head, striking him more than 20 times, according to the arrest affidavit. A second correctional officer told detectives he observed Hodum “punch and kick Klampfer repeatedly.”
Both correctional officers told detectives Klampfer “appeared defenseless and did not appear to fight back while being struck repeatedly in the head by Hodum” and the attack ceased only when correctional officers intervened, according to the criminal complaint.
Court records indicate that at the time of the alleged assault Hodum was in the jail awaiting a probation or parole violation hearing. Hodum, according to court records, had a previous conviction for conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking in connection with a 2014 incident.
“An autopsy was done by one of our forensic pathologists and the cause of death was determined to be hanging.”
- Montgomery County First Deputy Coroner Alexander Balacki