On March 30, Joseph Hodum was in Montgomery County Correctional Facility’s medical ward, sharing a cell with Stephen Klampfer.
According to court records, Hodum was standing by the door yelling, he then walked back to Klampfer, who was lying in his bed, and started punching him. After he hit him about a dozen times, Klampfer fell to the floor. Investigators say that's when Hodum stomped repeatedly on his head.
County detectives say Hodum admitted to them that he kept stomping on Klampfer’s head even after he was unconscious. Hodum claims he attacked Klampfer because of a sexual advance.
Klampfer died from the beating about two weeks later. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be complications of blunt impact head trauma and ruled it a homicide.
Both men were jailed on probation or parole violations. Hodum was originally arrested for forgery and theft. Klampfer served time for threats and simple assault.