Ellis County detention officer killed by inmate

WAXAHACHIE — An Ellis County detention officer died after being assaulted by an inmate at the county jail Monday, officials announced Tuesday.

Isaiah Bias, 28, was “doing his daily job” in a holding cell around 3:45 p.m. Monday when he was “physically assaulted” by an inmate, Ellis County Sheriff Brad Norman said at a news conference Tuesday.

Officials said the inmate, identified as Arron Semeion Thompson, 45, of Ennis, now faces a charge of capital murder.

Thompson was arraigned Tuesday, and his bond was set at $2 million, Norman said.

Thompson had been jailed on assault charges when the incident happened Monday. 

He had been in custody since early Nov, 12, officials said.

Brandon Wood, executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, confirmed to WFAA an incident related to the officer’s death happened at the jail, but more details were not immediately released by state officials.

Sheriff Norman was visibly emotional during the news conference Tuesday, as he recounted how Bias had been with the department for six years and was part of the department’s explorer program as a teen.

“Occasionally we deal with bad folks,” Norman said. 

“I can honestly say that my staff, over the last day, has dealt with pure evil.”