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California prison inmate's death investigated as homicide

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Eric Risberg/AP
FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2016 file photo, a condemned inmate is led out of his east block cell on death row at San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, Calif. The California Labor and Workforce Development Agency confirmed Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, that California has sent about $400 million in unemployment benefits to state prison inmates. In all records show 31,000 inmates have applied for benefits and about 20,800 were paid $400 million. A group of local and federal prosecutors said 133 inmates on death row were named in claims. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
California Unemployment Fraud
Posted at 12:32 PM, Jun 30, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-30 15:32:37-04

SUSANVILLE, Calif. (AP) — The death of a California prison inmate is being investigated as a possible homicide.

State prison officials say the 29-year-old man was found unresponsive in his cell late Sunday at High Desert State Prison in northeastern California and was pronounced dead a short time later. His name and details of his death haven't been released.

The man was sentenced to seven years in prison for assault with a firearm in San Francisco County.

Authorities say his cellmate, Erik S. Montes, is considered a suspect in the death and has been placed in separate housing.

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