Inmate Dies at California Prison; Cellmate Suspected

CRESCENT CITY, CA —

An inmate at a maximum-security California prison died Thursday and his cellmate is suspected in his death, authorities said.

Martin Aguilar, 27, was pronounced dead shortly before 9:30 a.m. after being found in his cell at Pelican Bay State Prison, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement.

His cellmate, Daniel Haro, “is the suspect in this case,” the statement said. It didn’t provide other details about the death.

Aguilar was sent to prison from San Diego County in 2015 after being convicted of assault with a deadly weapon connected to a street gang, possession of a controlled substance and assault on peace officer or firefighter likely to cause cause great bodily injury. While in prison, Aguilar also was convicted of battery for two attacks on non-prisoners at separate facilities, state prison officials said.