Death of inmate in Northern California triggers murder investigation, cellmate placed in cramped quarters

A woman in Indiana faces up to 60 years in prison for murdering her husband. (Getty Images)

(FOX40.COM) — The death of an inmate at a Northern California prison has sparked a homicide investigation that also involves the inmate’s cellmate, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

On Thursday, Hector Hernandez was found unconscious by patrolling security officers in his cell at High Desert State Prison in Susanville.

Officers called for medical assistance and had Hernandez taken to the prison triage center, where medical personnel pronounced him dead at 1:02 a.m.

Hernandez’s cellmate, Jonathan Gonzales, was placed in cramped quarters for the duration of the investigation and his cell was locked.

The investigation is being conducted by the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office and the HDSP Investigative Division.

Hernandez was serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder in two counties and was transferred from Los Angeles County to High Desert on April 19.

Gonzalez has been in High Desert since October 27, 2016, after being transferred from Los Angeles County where he was sentenced to 28 years for second-offense extortion by force/threat, street gang offenses while committing a violent crime and use of a firearm, second-offense possession/manufacture of a deadly weapon by an inmate, auto theft, prior misdemeanor conviction and attempted second-degree robbery, use of a firearm, and victim/witness obstruction/deterrence.