DELANO, Calif. – A deadly attack at Kern Valley State Prison in California has claimed the life of another inmate, marking the fifth inmate killed by other prisoners in California prisons this year. Juan Trujillo, 50, was ambushed by eight fellow inmates in a recreational yard at the prison, and ultimately died from his stab wounds. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reported the attack, stating that the inmates were using inmate-manufactured weapons during the assault and ignored staff orders to stop. Chemical agents were then used to stop the attack, but Trujillo ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The attack took place on Monday at approximately 10:30 a.m. and Trujillo was pronounced dead at an outside medical facility at 11:41 a.m.
Trujillo had been serving his sentence, which began on Feb. 14, 2008, for second-degree robbery as a second striker with enhancements for the use of a firearm and a prior felony conviction of a serious offense. The inmates allegedly involved in the attack were identified as Zackary Holguin, Edwin Perez, Kevin Tello, Daniel Mendivil, Javier Castaneda, Robert Toki, Kevin Barrera, and Eric Castilleja. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation provided the criminal histories of these inmates, revealing a pattern of violent offenses and escalating sentences for violent crimes while incarcerated.
The deadly attack at Kern Valley State Prison is just one of several incidents in California prisons since the beginning of the year. One of the most recent incidents involved the injury of eight corrections officers and an incarcerated man in a riot at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe. Additionally, several other deadly attacks have been reported in different prisons across the state, further highlighting the ongoing issue of violence within the prison system.
The violence within California’s prisons raises concerns about safety and security for both inmates and prison staff. With multiple deadly incidents occurring within a short period of time, there is a growing need for increased measures to prevent and address violence within the state’s prison system.