Dangelo Treshon Nowlin

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

A California man jailed on a misdemeanor defiant trespass charge is now accused of killing his Cumberland County cellmate, prosecutors announced on Thursday, Oct. 23.

Dangelo Treshon Nowlin, 33, of Yuba City, California, was charged with Felony Criminal Homicide, according to Cumberland County District Attorney Seán M. McCormack.

Nowlin was arrested by Middlesex Township Police in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Oct. 22, for an unrelated defiant trespassing incident in the 1500 block of Harrisburg Pike. He was committed to the Cumberland County Prison on that case with bail set at $35,000, authorities said.

At approximately 11:52 a.m. Wednesday, Nowlin was assigned a cell and allegedly began assaulting his cellmate, 41-year-old Erick Gainer, who was asleep in the top bunk at the time, according to the district attorney’s office.

Gainer was taken to Holy Spirit Hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery to reduce swelling in his brain. Despite their efforts, Gainer died from his injuries at 6:32 p.m. Thursday, investigators said.

Nowlin was arraigned Thursday evening before Magisterial District Judge David J. Rogers and was denied bail due to the homicide charge. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 5.