California prison officials are investigating the death of an inmate at High Desert State Prison near Susanville as a homicide.
Inmate Joseph Reagan, 44, died Tuesday evening following an attack by another inmate, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
At 1841 hours, Inmate Bryan Cook attacked inmate Reagan, in the dayroom.
Responding officer quickly quelled the incident and immediately initiated life-saving measures on Reagan. Reagan was taken to the prison’s triage and treatment area where he was pronounced deceased by medical staff at 1917 hours. No staff or other inmates were injured.
Officers recovered an inmate-manufactured weapon at the scene.
Cook was moved to restricted housing pending investigation into this case. Officials have limited movement in the area where the attack occurred to facilitate the investigation being conducted by HDSP Investigative Services Unit, the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office and the Lassen County Coroner. The Office of the Inspector General was notified, and the Lassen County Coroner will determine Reagan’s official cause of death.
Reagan, 44, was most recently received from Tulare County on Jan. 15, 2009. He was sentenced to serve 10 years for vehicular manslaughter, and was sentenced to additional time by Lassen County for multiple in-prison offenses, including assault with a deadly weapon.
Cook, 49, was most recently received from Imperial County on Aug. 5, 2016. He was sentenced to serve life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder.
