California Prison Violence: Death Row Inmate Dies During Riot as Guards Use Blast Grenades to Restore Order
Violence erupts at Kern Valley State Prison, leaving death row inmate Julian Mendez dead and prompting an investigation into the incident.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is conducting an extensive investigation following the violent death of a death row inmate at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano on Friday. The incident, which unfolded at approximately 10:30 a.m., began when 36-year-old Mario Renteria, a convicted murderer, allegedly assaulted fellow inmate Julian Mendez, age 46. Despite repeated commands from correctional officers for both men to cease fighting and get on the ground, neither complied, escalating the situation further within the prison yard.
Correctional staff deployed chemical agents in an attempt to break up the altercation. While this initially stopped the direct attack, chaos erupted as over 30 inmates swiftly charged toward Renteria, turning their aggression on him. Orders to halt the violence were ignored, prompting prison officials to utilize multiple blast grenades to restore order and quell the intensifying melee, according to prison authorities.
During the commotion, Mendez sustained multiple wounds. On-site medical teams administered emergency life-saving measures and rushed him to the facility's triage and treatment area. Despite these efforts, Mendez was pronounced dead at 11:05 a.m. The exact type of improvised weapon used in the attack remains under investigation after one was discovered at the scene.
Kern Valley State Prison immediately enacted strict limitations on inmate movement across the facility as members of the Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office began a joint inquiry into the fatal incident. The Office of the Inspector General was notified, and the Kern County Coroner will determine the precise cause of death for Mendez.
Julian Mendez, who had been incarcerated since 2004, was serving a condemned sentence for the first-degree murder of two teenagers in Riverside County, dating back to 2002. Mario Renteria, meanwhile, was received by CDCR from Riverside County in April 2022 and is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, classified as a third-strike offense, as well as arson. Renteria has now been placed in restricted housing pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Kern Valley State Prison, which opened its doors in 2005, houses more than 3,100 inmates, including both minimum- and high-security populations. The latest outbreak of violence has renewed concerns about inmate safety and the challenges facing California’s overcrowded correctional facilities. Investigators are expected to continue their review of security protocols and the circumstances that led to Friday’s deadly confrontation.
