California prison inmate death investigated as a homicide

DELANO, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say the death of an inmate at a central California prison is being investigated as a homicide. State prison officials say 26-year-old Juan Mendoza was found unresponsive in his cell at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano on Wednesday evening. He had visible injuries and died despite life-saving efforts. His cellmate, Jorge Mendoza, was segregated while the death is investigated. Juan Mendoza was serving a six-year sentence out of San Bernardino County for second-degree attempted murder. His cellmate was serving a life sentence with the chance of parole for second-degree murder in Monterey County.