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Contra Costa inmate’s death investigated as homicide

2 mins read
Deandre A. Lewis, 37, (pictured) was found dead in his cell at California State Prison in Sacramento County on Saturday. His cellmate, Shamar L. Thornton, is the suspect.

A convicted murderer is suspected to be behind the death of his cellmate in a California State Prison in Sacramento County, San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The imprisoned man, 37-year-old Deandre A. Lewis, was found dead inside his cell on Saturday.

At 6:53 a.m. on Saturday, Lewis was found unconscious by officers and was declared dead 30 minutes after.

Deandre A. Lewis, 37, (pictured) was found dead in his cell at California State Prison in Sacramento County on Saturday. His cellmate, Shamar L. Thornton, is the suspect.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in Monday’s statement that the 36-year-old Shamar L. Thornton, who shares the cell with Lewis, is the suspect in the killing.

No further details were released by the department of the death of Lewis. The county medical examiner will determine his cause of death.

Lewis entered prison from Contra Costa County in 2018. He was facing several forcible rape counts with fear of bodily harm and torture and was sentenced to life imprisonment with parole possibility.

Shamar L. Thornton, 36, (pictured) is the suspect in the death of his cellmate, Deandre A. Lewis,
at California State Prison in Sacramento County on Saturday

Officials said he was also slammed with different prison terms over her involvement in human trafficking, corporal injury on specific persons, assault with firearm, pimping, grand theft, among others.

Meanwhile, Thorton is facing life imprisonment without parole possibility for first-degree murder. Admitted to prison from San Bernardino County in 2009, he also faces charges for causing corporal injury on a spouse.

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