California

Inmate Found Slain at Northern California Prison

Tou Thao, 38, was found lying unresponsive on the floor of his cell at California State Prison, Sacramento.

Officials are investigating the death of a Northern California prison inmate as a homicide.

They said Friday that guards found 38-year-old Tou Thao lying unresponsive on the floor of his cell Thursday at California State Prison, Sacramento. He was pronounced dead at an outside hospital.

They've identified his cellmate, 45-year-old Jose Negrete, as a suspect. He is serving a life sentence from San Mateo County for kidnapping and a variety of violent sex crimes.

Thao was serving a six-year sentence from Butte County for a violent second-degree robbery. The high-security prison east of Sacramento houses about 2,100 inmates.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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