In a shocking incident at Centinela State Prison in Imperial County, California, an inmate, Enrique Saucedo, aged 29, met a tragic end in what officials are now investigating as a homicide. The assailants, fellow inmates Rigoberto Estrada, 45, and David Veloz, 40, both serving sentences for murder, allegedly attacked Saucedo on the prison’s recreational yard.

The altercation, observed by prison officers at approximately 2:14 p.m. on January 7, 2024, prompted immediate intervention. Despite repeated verbal orders to cease the assault, it took seven applications of O.C. Pepper Spray to bring the situation under control. Emergency measures were enacted, including the summoning of an ambulance and the administration of life-saving procedures on Saucedo.

Tragically, Saucedo succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 5:49 p.m. on the same day at a medical center. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is actively investigating the incident as a homicide.

The alleged attackers, Veloz and Estrada, were swiftly placed in restricted housing with limited movement within the prison population. Two inmate-manufactured weapons were recovered from the scene, adding a troubling dimension to the ongoing investigation.

Enrique Saucedo, who entered CDCR custody on November 27, 2018, from Los Angeles County, was serving a 14-year sentence for manufacturing, selling, distributing, transporting assault weapons, and transporting/importing a controlled substance.

David Veloz, incarcerated since January 21, 2009, from Los Angeles County, was serving 25 years to life for attempted murder, while Rigoberto Estrada, sentenced on October 12, 2006, from Riverside County, was serving two life sentences with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder and attempted murder. Both Veloz and Estrada entered CDCR custody in February 2009 and November 2006, respectively.

The investigation involves the CSP-CEN’s Investigative Services Unit, the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the Inspector General. The Imperial County Coroner will determine the official cause of Saucedo’s death, as authorities seek to unravel the circumstances surrounding this tragic event within the prison walls.