Juan Villanueva, 53, was found unresponsive in his cell at North Kern State Prison in Delano on the morning of February 24, 2023, and was pronounced dead at 9:03 a.m. He had been transferred into state custody on February 2, 2023, after a life with the possibility of parole sentence for aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14. His cellmate, 51-year-old Ramon Escobar, was serving multiple life terms for several murders and attempted murder.

Prison staff attempted life-saving measures and restricted movement in the housing unit while the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, Kern County Coroner and the Office of the Inspector General were notified. Escobar later admitted to strangling Villanueva, saying the attack — which reportedly lasted about five minutes — was motivated by complaints about Villanueva’s hygiene and refusal to clean the cell.

Escobar was charged with first-degree murder and assault by a life prisoner with force likely to produce great bodily injury, and a judge ordered he stand trial in Kern County. Villanueva’s death is classified as a homicide. If anyone knew Juan Villanueva or has information about his time at North Kern State Prison, please share what is known.