Inmate Pleads Guilty To Murder In Jessup Prison Death

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A prison inmate from Baltimore County serving a life sentence for murder pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder in the death of his cellmate at the Jessup Correctional Institute.

Wallace Dudley Ball, 64, of Randallstown pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the February 2025 death of Warren Michael Griffin, 61.

Ball is serving a life plus 30-years sentence for a 1994 murder, prosecutors said. Sentencing in the prison death will be scheduled at a later time.

Following the guilty plea in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said in a statement, “I want to commend Maryland State Police and DPSCS for their thorough investigation, which helped secure a strong case against this defendant. Hopefully today’s plea provides some peace for the victim’s family and we look forward to sentencing.”

Shortly before 7 p.m. on Feb. 21, correctional officers were conducting routine cell checks when they found inmate Warren Michael Griffin, 61, dead on a cell floor in Building F of the facility. Griffin’s cellmate, Ball, was taken into custody. The victim was found with a cord wrapped around his neck and blood stains were found on the cell floor.

According to the state's attorney, Ball made a written statement confessing, “While in the cell with Warren Griffin, I punched him in the face then tied a string around his neck until he was dead. Wallace Ball."

Investigators' handwriting analysis found that the statement matched the writing sample from a previous note written by Ball.

Investigators with the Maryland State Police and Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services interviewed facility staff, collected photos and physical evidence. They saw that Ball had stains consistent with blood on his shoes, pants, and hands. Forensic technicians swabbed the defendant’s hands, collected DNA swabs, collected clothing, and took photographs.

The state was represented by Assistant State’s Attorney Shane Nolan. The investigation was led by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Intelligence and Investigative Division.