SUSANVILLE — Two inmates killed a 3rd inmate at a Northern California jail on Friday, authorities stated, the third such slaying in two weeks at three separate prisons.
Inmates William Lutts, 39, and Timothy Smith, 40, attacked fellow inmate Terence Coleman, 51, at Excessive Desert State Jail, officers stated. He died and officers are investigating the loss of life as a murder.
Lutts additionally was critically injured and brought to an outdoor hospital, whereas Smith was moved to an isolation unit whereas the case is investigated.
Coleman had been serving a sentence of life with the potential for parole from Yolo County assault and theft fees after two earlier housebreaking convictions. Whereas in jail he was sentenced to an extra 12 years for voluntary manslaughter.
Lutts was serving an 18-year time period from Tuolumne County for assault with a firearm on a peace officer or firefighter. Whereas in jail, he was sentenced to a different 9 years for assault with a lethal weapon as a second striker. This yr he was convicted of constructing or possessing lethal weapon and sentenced to 2 extra years.
Smith additionally has a prolonged legal historical past. He's serving a life sentence with the potential for parole for a San Joaquin County homicide and tried homicide. He had a earlier four-year sentence for evading a police officer inflicting loss of life or nice bodily damage, automobile theft, and failure to seem in court docket. He subsequently had one other four-year sentence for housebreaking and automobile theft.
Final week, two inmates serving life sentences died after being attacked at California prisons, officers stated then, one at Salinas Valley State Jail and the opposite at California State Jail, Sacramento, generally generally known as New Folsom.