DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- There are serious questions about safety inside the Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach (see map) after a 50-year-old female guard was stabbed to death by a convicted rapist at the prison.

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BRUISED INMATE: Images From Accused Inmate's Court Appearance
RAW VIDEO: Department Of Corrections Press Conference
SLIDESHOW: Images Of Tomoka Correctional Institution

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Her fellow jail guards told Eyewitness News they were saddened by her death, but not surprised. In fact, some said they predicted such an incident.

More than 1,200 criminals are kept behind bars at Tomoka Correctional Institution. Former officers though told Eyewitness News they're understaffed and it leads to situations like the death of Donna Fitzgerald.

"My life has been endangered before and it's something you take. But sooner or later you say enough is enough," said Jim Baiardi, Police Benevolent Association.

Baiardi predicted earlier this year that a death inside a prison was imminent. Nearly one out of five corrections officers leaves the job each year and he says not enough money is dedicated to hire more. Attacks don't happen, he says, just because current officers aren't doing their jobs.

"In this profession, it's not easy to get lackadaisical, because you know every day when you go in that your life's on the line," he said.

Channel 9 was contacted by a number of former and current officers who back up Baiardi's claims. They said staff is lacking at Tomoka and procedures are relaxed. One guard quit when, after six months on the job, he still had no facility specific training. Another left after being alone too often with inmates.

The Florida Secretary of Corrections said he believes procedures were all being followed when the murder happened, but officers told Eyewitness News procedures need to change or more people will be hurt.

Flags were flying at half staff at the prison Friday, but there is no new information being released about the murder investigation, including whether Fitzgerald was sexually assaulted. However, a source close to the investigation told Eyewitness News, at this point, it appears murder will be the only charge against Enoch Hall.

One of the biggest questions being brought up by the death is how was a female prison guard allowed to go out alone and search for this convicted rapist? Eyewitness News was told male and female guards are treated exactly the same in Florida prisons and have the same duties. Female guards are only restricted from doing things like strip searches. A Department of Corrections worker told Eyewitness News female guards usually do a better job of controlling male inmates than male guards do.