Inmate’s death being investigated as homicide after fight at Donovan prison

The injured inmate, in prison for drunk driving, was found unresponsive and was taken to a hospital, where he died Thursday morning.

Inmate’s death being investigated as homicide after fight at Donovan prison
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
The Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in Otay Mesa is shown in December 2018. (File photo by Megan Wood/inewsource)

A fight between two inmates in Otay Mesa led to one of the men’s deaths and is being investigated as a homicide, state prison officials said Thursday.

The altercation happened around 6:15 a.m. Saturday between inmates Jerry Elliott, 43, and Aikane Matias, 32, inside their cell at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Elliott was found unresponsive and was taken to a hospital, where he died Thursday morning, officials said. They did not elaborate on a cause of death, but said no weapon was used in the altercation.

Matias has been placed in restricted housing pending an investigation into the death, according to the corrections department.

He was sentenced in Fresno County to eight years in state prison for first-degree burglary.

Elliott was sentenced in Riverside County to 34 years in prison for a variety of crimes, including evading a peace officer causing death and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.