Convicted murderer from LA County killed in Kern County prison cell, state officials say

DELANO, Calif. (KABC) -- A prisoner from Los Angeles County who was serving a life sentence for murder was found dead in a Kern County cell, an apparent homicide victim, officials said.

Ricardo Saldivar, 25, was found dead in his cell at North Kern State Prison on Monday afternoon, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

An officer conducting a security/welfare check found him unresponsive at 2:08 p.m. and called for medical help. Lifesaving measures were attempted but he was pronounced dead a short time after.

State and local officials have classified Salvidar's death as a homicide. The Kern County Coroner is working to determine his official cause of death.

A CDCR release indicated Salvidar shared a cell with Peter Valencia, 47, an inmate from Los Angeles County who is serving an 18-year sentence for attempted murder. The release did not indicate that Valencia has been charged in connection with his cellmate's death.

Salvidar was brought to the Kern County facility in June. He was serving a life sentence with possibility of parole for first-degree murder, as well as a sentence of attempted first-degree murder, to be served consecutively.

North Kern State Prison, which opened in 1993, is a medium-security facility in Delano which houses about 3,500 inmates.