California Inmate Death Being Investigated As Homicide

IONE, Calif. (AP) — Authorities are investigating whether an inmate at a Northern California prison was killed by his cellmate.

State prison officials say 50-year-old Ervin Savoy was found unresponsive in his cell at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione on Saturday and later pronounced dead. Ione is about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento.

Though the cause of death has not been determined, prison investigators and the Amador County District Attorney's Office have launched a homicide investigation based on Savoy's injuries.

His cellmate, 51-year-old Floyd Bailey, has been named as a suspect.

Bailey is serving a life sentence for a murder conviction in Santa Clara County. Savoy was serving 25 years to life for residential burglary and being under the influence of a controlled substance in Santa Barbara County.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.