Key takeaways:
- Juan Villanueva, 53, was found unresponsive in his cell at North Kern State Prison and was pronounced dead a short time later.
- Ramon Escobar, 51, is the suspect in the homicide and is serving a life sentence for the murders of seven people.
- The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is taking appropriate action to investigate the incident.
A California inmate serving a life sentence for the murders of seven people is suspected of killing his cellmate in a Kern County prison on Friday, the state corrections department said.
Juan Villanueva, 53, was found unresponsive around 8:50 a.m. in the cell he shared with Ramon Escobar at North Kern State Prison, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement. Despite lifesaving efforts, Villanueva was pronounced dead a short time later at a prison treatment facility.
Escobar, 51, pleaded guilty to most of the charges and no contest to the remaining charges in the seven murders, which occurred in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties between September and October of 1987. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1989.
The case is being investigated as a homicide and Escobar is the suspect, the department said. No further details have been released and the investigation is ongoing.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it is committed to ensuring the safety of all inmates and staff, and that it is taking appropriate action to investigate the incident.
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