SOLEDAD — California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are investigating the Feb. 13 death of an inmate at Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) in Soledad as a homicide.
At about 9:40 a.m., staff observed inmate Dan Felix unresponsive in his cell.
“Staff immediately responded, initiating life-saving measures and activating 911,” according to CDCR in a news release. “Outside medical ambulance staff pronounced Felix deceased at 10:01 a.m.”
Felix’s cellmate, Bryan Ramirez, has been placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by the SVSP Investigative Services Unit and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office. The Office of the Inspector General has been notified.
Felix, 47, was most recently received from Los Angeles County on March 29, 2004. He had been sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder as a third striker, with enhancements for a prior felony conviction of a serious offense, intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury/death, use of a firearm and discharge of a firearm.
While incarcerated, he was sentenced by Kings County on Jan. 4, 2017, to 21 years for attempted second-degree murder as a second striker, an in-prison offense, with an enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury. He was also sentenced by Monterey County on July 14, 2023, to two consecutive terms of nine years and eight months for attempted second-degree murder, an in-prison offense, with enhancements for a prior felony conviction of a serious offense.
Ramirez, 30, was received from Los Angeles County on March 28, 2014. He was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for carjacking, second-degree robbery and vehicle theft, with enhancements for use of a firearm and street gang act in commission of a violent felony.
This is the seventh homicide investigation at SVSP in the past year.
