Solano State Prison inmate's death being investigated as homicide
VACAVILLE — A homicide investigation is underway after an inmate was found dead in his cell at Solano State Prison in Vacaville this week, authorities said Friday.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said officers at the prison were conducting rounds on Wednesday night when they found Darian L. Hernandez, 25, unresponsive in his cell. Hernandez was pronounced dead not long after despite life-saving measures being performed by medical personnel.
Hernandez's cellmate, 23-year-old Jonathan M. Perez, was placed into restrictive housing pending the results of the investigation, the CDCR said.
The CDCR did not provide any details on the nature of Hernandez's death, only that is was being investigated as a homicide. The Solano County coroner will determine Hernandez's official cause of death.
Hernandez arrived at the Solano prison in 2018 and was set to serve more than 12 years there for various gang- and weapons-related crimes. In 2021, he received an additional four years for an assault that occurred on the prison grounds.
Perez arrived at the prison in 2021 to serve 15 years for assault and weapons charges.
