TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – An Illinois man serving a 15-year sentence at a federal prison outside Orlando was shot to death inside a bar earlier this month, NBC News reported.
The family of 33-year-old Dwayne “DJ” Totleben said they were shocked to receive a phone call from the prison on Oct. 10 telling them he had died, but did not provide any other details.
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Totleben’s friend Donna Ford said she spoke with Totleben that morning, according to NBC News. She told NBC that he was in a good mood and didn’t seem upset in the slightest when they spoke.
Totleben was being held at Coleman 1, a maximum-security men’s prison in Sumter County that houses about 1,400 inmates, according to the prison’s website. He was arrested in May 2023 and convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
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The Federal Bureau of Prisons typically issues a press release after an inmate dies in its custody, but no information has been released regarding Totleben’s case. The last release on the website is September 25th.
The prison also suspended all visitation until further notice.
Totleben’s family and friends are looking for answers to their loved one’s death and have set up a GoFundMe to help pay for the lawsuit demanding transparency from the prison.
