California prison officials probe Saturday inmate slayings at two prisons

Officials are investigating the death of inmates at two California prisons on Saturday and say the victims’ cellmates are suspects in both cases.

The first slaying involves an inmate at California State Prison, Sacramento, where Deandre A. Lewis, 37, was found unresponsive in his cell at 6:53 a.m. and pronounced dead at 7:23 a.m., California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials said Monday.

Lewis’ cellmate, Shamar L. Thorton, 36, is a suspect in the slaying, CDCR said.

Coroner’s officials still are investigating the cause of death.

Lewis was admitted to the prison system from Contra Costa County on a life sentence with the possibility of parole for counts of aiding and abetting rape, forcible rape and torture, officials said. He also had convictions for human trafficking, pimping and assorted firearms offenses.

Thornton is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole for a first-degree murder conviction out of San Bernardino County.

The second death occurred at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, where inmate Benjy S. Wade was found unresponsive in his cell at 4:59 p.m. Wade, 40, was pronounced dead at 5:15 p.m.

Wade was serving a 13-year term out of Colusa County for second-degree robbery with a firearm.

Wade’s cellmate, John C. Connell, is considered a suspect in the slaying, CDCR said.

Connell, 55, was first admitted to the prison system out of Sacramento for a 1989 conviction of robbery involving a firearm and battery. He is currently serving a sentence of life with possibility of parole for a third strike conviction out of Sutter County for escape.

This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 5:04 PM.