California investigating 3rd inmate slaying in 1 week

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California prison officials said Monday that they are investigating the third slaying of an inmate by other inmates within the span of a week, at three different prisons.

The latest was Friday at Pelican Bay State Prison far northwestern California, where officials say Fernando Torres Lopez attacked fellow inmate Uriel Otero in a dayroom. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

Otero, 22, was serving a 25-year sentence from Monterey County for attempted second-degree murder with use of a firearm and inflicting great bodily injury during a street gang act.

Torres Lopez, 23, was serving a sentence of nearly 20 years from Santa Clara County for attempted second-degree murder and two deadly weapon assaults during a street gang act.

A week earlier, officials say two inmates killed a third at High Desert State Prison in northeastern California.

An a day later, on July 23, they said two inmates killed a third at California State Prison, Sacramento.

Officials said all three are under investigation, so they couldn’t comment on any possible connections.