DELANO, Calif. (AP) — Convicted serial killer Ramon Escobar is suspected of killing his new cellmate Friday at a Central California prison, authorities said.
Escobar, 51, shared a cell at North Kern State Prison in Delano with Juan Villanueva, whose death is being investigated as a homicide, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement.
Villanueva, 53, was found unconscious shortly before 9 a.m. and, despite efforts to save her life, was pronounced dead shortly afterward in a prison, the agency said .
Villanueva is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14 in Los Angeles County.
Escobar is suspected of murdering Villanueva and has been placed in confinement pending an investigation, the agency said.
The Kern County medical examiner will determine the official cause of death, authorities said. Other details were not immediately provided.
Escobar is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty last year to killing five men and injuring seven others. He also pleaded guilty to murdering his aunt and uncle in Houston, Texas in 2018.
Prosecutors said Escobar fled Texas after killing his relatives and was homeless when he began attacking people in Los Angeles and Santa Monica over about two weeks in September 2018.
Prosecutors said Escobar hit the victims with bolt cutters or a baseball bat while they slept on the street or on the beach. All but one were homeless.
Escobar went to prison last December. Villanueva arrived on Feb. 2, officials said.
Both men were housed in the Reception Center, which processes inmates admitted from California counties. Inmates can be held there for up to 90 days while it is determined where they should be placed in the state prison system.
I’m a passionate and motivated journalist with a focus on world news. My experience spans across various media outlets, including Buna Times where I serve as an author. Over the years, I have become well-versed in researching and reporting on global topics, ranging from international politics to current events.