New records detail why 2 inmates were placed in same cell less than 2 hours before homicide

ORLANDO, Fla. — 9 Investigates first told you about the killing of Tim Long last month. He and his accused killer, Hiram Fordoms, were moved into the same cell less than two hours before investigators say Long was found unresponsive with a sheet tied around his neck.

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Newly-released housing logs are raising questions about what happened before they were placed together in close quarters.

Inmate Tim Long was moved from the direct supervision Horizon facility on the Orange County Corrections campus to the main housing unit due to a ‘personality conflict.’ His accused killer, Hiram Fordoms, was also moved from Horizon around the same time, placed in the same cell as Long just four minutes later, after reporting ‘cell problems’ in Horizon.

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We’ve asked for additional documentation about both incidents to see whether the two were around each other in the Horizon facility, which is more of a group setting and houses multiple inmates in each cell, or if either was notably agitated prior to being placed in tighter quarters.

The two inmates were seen arguing less than a half hour before Long was found ‘unclothed, unresponsive, and very pale’ on the cell floor with a mattress on top of him.

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While a corrections officer waited for backup, Fordoms was seen untying the knot from around Long’s neck. Jail staff did chest compressions, used an AED, and Orange County Fire Rescue was able to get a pulse on Long, but hours later, he died at the hospital.

During their time at the Orange County jail, both Fordoms and Long moved between the Booking and Release Center for psychiatric services several times, the Horizon facility, and the main location which has traditional jail cells.

As recently as July, Fordoms was placed on a ‘Do Not House Alone’ designation, which according to policy indicates he was at enhanced risk of self-harm. It’s unclear if he was ever placed on a list indicating he was a threat to others.

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