Watch CBS News

Central California Prison Inmate Dies; Cellmate Is Suspect

CORCORAN, Calif. (AP/CBS13) — An inmate at a Central California prison died Thursday and his cellmate is suspected of killing him, authorities said.

James D. Torres, 67, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 5 a.m. at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, Kings County. Despite life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead a short time later, according to a statement from the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Torres was admitted to the prison from Sacramento County in 1996 and was serving 50 years for rape of a spouse with force or violence and sodomy with force, according to corrections officials.

There was no immediate word on the cause of his death but it was being investigated as a homicide and his cellmate, Norbert Arres III, was identified as a suspect, the department said.

Arres, 37, was admitted from Riverside County in 2018 and was serving six years for being a felon or addict in possession of a gun.

The Corcoran prison has more than 4,700 inmates in minimum to high security.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.