Pair of convicted pedophiles — one who raped, murdered 3-year-old girl — die on same night in same prison

Two convicted pedophiles died roughly within an hour of each other in an upstate New York prison last week. One of the inmates who was found dead was convicted of drugging, raping, and murdering a 3-year-old girl.

According to the state's Department of Corrections, 34-year-old Robert Fisher was pronounced dead at approximately 1:50 a.m. Oct. 22 at the Elmira Correctional Facility in Chemung County.

'He drugged her, went into her bedroom and raped her.'

WRGB-TV reported that 59-year-old William Brand was pronounced dead at approximately 2:52 a.m. Oct. 22.

The County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet announced the cause of death for either inmate.

Both were admitted into the prison within the last month. Records indicate that Brand was admitted Oct. 10; Fisher was admitted Sept. 23.

Fisher admitted to drugging, raping, and murdering 3-year-old Josefina Cunningham and was convicted of his crimes in July 2023. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in September.

Rensselaer County Assistant District Attorney Antonia Edwards said during Fisher's sentencing, "The heinous acts of the defendant took Josie away from this world and this community. This community also deserves to know what horrible and vile acts this defendant committed and the absolute horror Josie met when she came home from day care on July 6, 2023, into July 7, 2023."

Fisher used prescription drugs from Josefina's mother — Laquesha Cunningham — to drug the 3-year-old girl before raping her.

“The defendant took the medication prescribed to Laquesha, crushed it up, and put it in a cup for Josie to drink. He drugged her, went into her bedroom and raped her,” Edwards said. “He did all of this while she was alive and awake; we only know that now because of the autopsy results."

Edwards added, "Seeing the pictures of Josie's face after what the defendant did to her was mortifying. Those images will be ingrained into the minds forever for those who saw them."

Brand was convicted of sexually abusing a child under the age of 11.

The New York State Police said in a statement that Brand was arrested in April 2024 and charged with predatory sexual assault against a child, second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, and first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child. Authorities noted that Brand had inappropriate sexual contact multiple times with a child.

Brand was serving a 10-year prison sentence.

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