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Saturday, May 18, 2013 | 1:49 p.m.

Posted: 5:47 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012

Prisoner charged with homicide after cellmate found strangled

By Maria Miller

CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. —

Four days after an inmate was strangled to death with a bedsheet, the prisoner police said is responsible is facing more charges.

William Sherry was found dead in his cell at the the Cambria County Prison Saturday night, according to police.

"When an incident occurs at the jail which is in this magnitude, where there's a death, the Pennsylvania State Police as an independent investigating agency come in and find out if there's criminal conduct," said Cambria Count District Attorney Kelly Callihan.

State police finished their investigation Wednesday and charged Cramer with homicide in the death of Sherry.

Court records show that Sherry had just been picked up last week on a probation violation. Cramer had been in State Correctional Institution Cresson serving time for a robbery in Fayette County three years ago. While Cramer was there, Callihan said, he assaulted prison guards on two separate occasions.

"He was transported to our jail earlier in July to face those charges," said Callihan. "He was still being housed here and on his way to be moved back out."

According to court documents, police said it was Cramer who called prison guards for assistance Saturday night. When guards arrived,they said they found Sherry hanging from the bunk bed, his hands and feet tied up and a bed sheet around his neck.

Court documents also state that Cramer told the guards, "there goes the rest of my life, I'm only 21 years old."

"You know, obviously the physical evidence will tell a story so to speak," said Cramers defense attorney, Kenneth Sottile. "There is a number of different angles that a person can look at."

Cramer was arraigned Wednesday afternoon through video conference from the prison. Callihan says he will remain there without bond.

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