An elderly pedophile has been found dead in his cell in a California prison. His cellmate is currently being investigated for the murder.
Mark Squires, 70, was found unresponsive by San Quentin correctional officers around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday after an alarm went off, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said in a statement. proposition.
Emergency services were immediately called and “life-saving measures” were taken on the inmate, who was being held for indecent acts with a child under the age of 14.
Squires was taken to the prison’s triage unit, where medical staff, who were not affiliated with the prison, pronounced him dead at 4:04 p.m.
His cellmate, Gustavo Lopez, 36, was taken away and placed in a closed facility, where he will remain while the prison investigates the mysterious death.
Mark Squires, 70, was found unconscious by San Quentin correctional officers around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday after an alarm went off. Emergency services were immediately called and “life-saving measures” were performed on the inmate, who was being held for indecent acts with a child
His cellmate, Gustavo Lopez, 36, was taken away and placed in restricted housing, where he will remain while the prison investigates the mysterious death
Prison officials have not released how Squires’ body was found or what injuries he sustained that led to his death in the alleged murder.
According to CDCR, no other inmates or officers were injured.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, 17 deaths of prisoners in the state were classified as homicides between January and August this year. CDCR data.
In August alone, 25 prisoners died in custody from various causes, adding up to nearly 250 since January.
The elderly felon had been incarcerated in San Quentin since January 2000 and was serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole.
Lopez had been in the facility since January 2020 and was serving a 13-year prison sentence for kidnapping, causing bodily harm to specific persons with traumatic consequences, and unlawful imprisonment with violence.
In all three cases, he was a “second striker,” meaning he was required to go to prison under state law after his conviction.
Prison officials have not released how Squires’ body was found or what injuries he sustained that led to his death in the alleged murder.
San Quentin (pictured) is the oldest prison, opened in 1852, and has housed Charles Manson, among others
A “second striker” is someone who has previously been convicted of a crime and who should not be sent to a rehabilitation center or placed on probation, according to San Diego County.
These prisoners must also serve at least 80 percent of their sentence.
Those who act as third strikers face a minimum of 25 years to life in prison and cannot be granted leave for good conduct or work.
California’s Three Strike Law is designed to “dramatically increase penalties for individuals previously convicted of one or more ‘serious’ or ‘violent’ crimes,” the county said.
The law has been in force since March 1994.
San Quentin is the oldest prison and was opened in 1852. Charles Manson was among those imprisoned there.
The prison houses more than 3,000 inmates, divided between minimum and maximum facilities.