Inmate found dead in Folsom prison cell, homicide investigation underway

An inmate was discovered unresponsive in his cell Thursday afternoon at California State Prison, Sacramento, officials announced Friday, according to FOX40. Despite attempts to revive him, the 49-year-old man was pronounced dead about 30 minutes after being found.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is treating the death as a homicide and has placed the inmate's cellmate in restricted housing as part of the ongoing investigation, FOX40 reported.

The deceased inmate had been transferred to the prison in 1996 and was serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder. He also had previous sentences related to weapons possession and assaults on peace officers while incarcerated.

His cellmate, a 23-year-old transferred to the prison in 2024, is serving time for robbery and burglary charges. The prison, located in Folsom near Sacramento, houses approximately 2,200 inmates and employs about 1,500 staff members.

Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding the death or the investigation's progress.