Julian Mendez Obituary, Death; – Two inmates at Kern Valley State Prison, who were transferred from Riverside County, were involved in a confrontation that resulted in one of them losing their life, authorities reported on Saturday.
The confrontation commenced at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Friday when Mario Renteria allegedly began to strike Julian Mendez, as stated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Prison personnel intervened, instructing the men to lie down, but both allegedly failed to comply. Staff deployed chemical agents, which initially halted the assault; however, over 30 additional inmates then surged towards Renteria and began to strike him, according to officials.
Staff utilized multiple blast grenades to suppress the violence, as reported by the CDCR. Mendez sustained multiple injuries, and life-saving measures were administered before he was transported to KVSP’s Triage and Treatment Area, where a physician declared him deceased at 11:05 a.m.
An improvised weapon was reportedly discovered at the scene. Renteria is currently being held in restricted housing while the investigation is ongoing, and officials have restricted population movement to aid the inquiry, which is being conducted by KVSP’s Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.
The official cause of Mendez’s death will be established by the Kern County coroner. Mendez, aged 46, was received from Riverside County on December 2, 2004. He was sentenced to death in 2002 for the first-degree murder of two teenagers, according to the CDCR.
Renteria, aged 36, was received from Riverside County on April 27, 2022. He was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder — a third strike offense — and arson, as per the CDCR.
