Two Alabama Inmates Die in Prison, Including Man Who Killed Grandmother

Kenneth Ray Daniels, 54, and Lorenzo Smith, 59, were inmates at William Donaldson Correctional Facility.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 12:54pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a shattered glass jar or broken ceramic figurine, the harsh lighting and stark contrast creating a gritty, investigative aesthetic to conceptually represent the violence and tragedy of the crimes described in the story.The deaths of two inmates, one convicted of a brutal crime against his own elderly grandmother, expose the ongoing challenges facing Alabama's overburdened prison system.Today in Birmingham

Two inmates at the William Donaldson Correctional Facility in Alabama recently passed away. Kenneth Ray Daniels, 54, was serving a life sentence for the 2009 capital murder of his 89-year-old grandmother, Dorothy 'Maw Maw' Allison. Lorenzo Smith, 59, was serving a life sentence for a 2002 capital murder conviction in Montgomery County.

Why it matters

The deaths of these two inmates, one convicted of a brutal crime against an elderly family member, highlight the ongoing challenges faced by the Alabama prison system, which has long struggled with issues of overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, and high mortality rates among its incarcerated population.

The details

Daniels was taken to UAB Hospital in Birmingham on Wednesday for treatment of complications due to a significant health issue and died at the hospital on Thursday. Smith experienced a medical event in his shared cell and later became unresponsive while being treated in the infirmary, where he was pronounced dead. There was no evidence of foul play or trauma in Smith's case.

  • Daniels was arrested in the Aug. 5, 2009 murder of his grandmother.
  • Daniels was convicted in 2011.
  • Smith died on April 6, 2026.

The players

Kenneth Ray Daniels

A 54-year-old inmate at William Donaldson Correctional Facility who was serving a life sentence for the 2009 capital murder of his 89-year-old grandmother, Dorothy 'Maw Maw' Allison.

Lorenzo Smith

A 59-year-old inmate at William Donaldson Correctional Facility who was serving a life sentence for a 2002 capital murder conviction in Montgomery County.

Dorothy 'Maw Maw' Allison

Kenneth Ray Daniels' 89-year-old grandmother who he was convicted of fatally beating in 2009.

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The takeaway

The deaths of these two inmates, one convicted of a brutal crime against an elderly family member, underscore the ongoing challenges facing Alabama's prison system, which must balance public safety, inmate healthcare, and rehabilitation efforts in the face of chronic overcrowding and resource constraints.