Prisoner killed by cellmate in Ventura County jail, police say
A 61-year-old Oxnard man who had been arrested in connection with the violation of a restraining order was killed by his cellmate inside the Ventura County jail last week, authorities said.
Michael Larios Torres, 61, of Oxnard, was found dead shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release issued by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Torres, who was awaiting trial on charges of violating a domestic violence restraining order, died after suffering blunt force trauma and neck compression, according to Sgt. Eric Buschow. Investigators ruled his death a homicide Monday and think Torres was killed by his cellmate.
Buschow said the suspect’s name was not released because he has not been formally arrested in connection with Torres’ death. Buschow did not offer a motive for the killing and or say why the suspect was in jail.
“In this case we have time, because he’s already incarcerated, to do some additional follow-up,” said Buschow, noting that once the suspect is arrested, police would have only 48 hours to present a case to the Ventura County district attorney’s office.
Torres was arrested by Oxnard police in early October.
“It’s not unusual for us to have assaults in the jail. Unfortunately it’s actually fairly common,” Buschow said. “It is unusual for us to have an assault that results in a homicide.”
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