SOLEDAD — California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are investigating the homicide of inmate Joseph Mendoza, which occurred on April 8 at Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) in Soledad.
At about 5:39 p.m., staff observed inmates Edgar Frayre and Nicolas Young attacking Mendoza with improvised weapons on the dayroom floor in Facility C.
According to CDCR, “Staff immediately responded and issued several verbal commands to stop, which were ignored. Staff then deployed multiple less-than-lethal use-of-force options, which ultimately quelled the incident. Frayre and Young were secured in handcuffs.”
Medical aid was initiated for Mendoza; however, he was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. Medical evaluations were conducted on Frayre and Young, and no serious injuries were reported.
Frayre and Young have been placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by the SVSP Investigative Services Unit and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for possible felony prosecution.
Mendoza, 36, was received from Fresno County on July 29, 2009, to serve 22 years and four months for robbery (second strike) and attempted murder (second strike). While incarcerated, he received an additional four years for possession/manufacture of a deadly weapon by a prisoner and battery on a non-prisoner (second strike), totaling 26 years and four months.
Frayre, 30, was received from San Joaquin County on April 2, 2014, to serve 50 years and eight months for voluntary manslaughter and participation in a criminal street gang act.
Young, 32, was received from Santa Clara County on Jan. 31, 2018, to serve 25 years for attempted second-degree murder (second strike). While incarcerated, he received an additional 11 years for in-prison attempted second-degree murder (second strike), totaling 36 years.
