Teen found not guilty of homicide in Lincoln Hills counselor death

A jury has found Javarius Hurd, 18, not guilty of reckless homicide in the death of a youth counselor at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys. Hurd was, however, found guilty of battery by a prisoner. 

Hurd had been charged with reckless homicide in the death of Corey Proulx, who died after a confrontation with Hurd in 2024. Prosecutors said that Proulx chased Hurd after the then 16-year-old threw a cup of soapy water in another staff member’s face. Proulx chased Hurd into an outdoor recreational area where, in a scuffle with Hurd, he hit his head on a hard surface. 

After Proulx’s death, the Department of Corrections issued a statement that staff members were collectively mourning. In a press release sent out after the incident, the DOC said that Proulx’s fiancee and daughter “would like everyone to know that Corey was an amazing partner, father, and human being.” 

Hurd’s case became a flashpoint both in and outside of the courtroom. While his attorneys battled prosecutors unsuccessfully to prevent the case from being tried in adult court, Proulx’s death was used by Republican lawmakers to take shots at the approach to juvenile justice taken by Gov. Tony Evers.

Lincoln Hills had become notorious as one of the nation’s largest juvenile prisons where youth suffered abuse and excessive force while guards and counselors were under pressure from  staffing shortages. Recently, Lincoln Hills was found to be in compliance with the requirements set forth after a class action lawsuit over those conditions. As a result, court-ordered monitoring of the facility was halted as new, smaller facilities are being opened around the state. 

A sentencing hearing for Hurd has been set for Friday morning, Oct. 30.