California prison authorities are looking into the death of an inmate at the Sacramento facility, categorizing it as a homicide, officials reported on Wednesday.
John Cisneros, 49, was discovered unresponsive in his cell around 9:15 p.m. on February 23. Emergency medical staff attempted life-saving measures, but he was declared dead shortly before 10 p.m.
His cellmate, Ervin Sanchez, 34, has been taken into custody and placed in restricted housing while investigations by the Jail Bureau of Investigation and the District Attorney’s Office for Sacramento County are underway. Additionally, the Office of the Inspector General has been informed.
As for the cause and manner of death, the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office has stated that a final determination might take up to six months.
Cisneros had initially received a five-year sentence for second-degree robbery in 2015. He then faced a 28-year sentence in 2017 for serious charges including sexual assault and attempted rape.
Sanchez is currently serving 18 years for attempted second-degree murder, which involved gang and firearm enhancements.
The California State Penitentiary in Sacramento is home to over 2,200 inmates across various levels of security.
