Maryland Inmate Charged with First-Degree Murder in Prison Death

WESTOVER, MD - Maryland State Police have charged an inmate with first-degree murder in connection with the death of another inmate at the Eastern Correctional Institution in Somerset County earlier this year.

Tyjuan Chapple, 26, was formally served with an arrest warrant on September 3, 2025. He remains in the custody of the Maryland Division of Corrections. The charges stem from an investigation into the death of Shane Lanham, 28, who died at the facility in March.

On July 25, 2025, Maryland State Police Homicide Investigators presented their findings to the Somerset County Grand Jury. The grand jury returned an indictment against Chapple on charges of first-degree murder and related offenses.

The investigation began on March 29, 2025, when the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit was contacted by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Intelligence and Investigative Division regarding an inmate death.

Officers at the Eastern Correctional Institution had discovered Lanham lying on the ground and unresponsive in his cell.

According to the preliminary investigation, Lanham was sharing a cell with another inmate prior to being found by correctional officers. The circumstances surrounding his death prompted the homicide investigation that ultimately led to the charges against Chapple.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.