Inmate killed at New Folsom prison, CDCR says. 1 suspect convicted of murder at same facility

An inmate at California State Prison, Sacramento died Wednesday after two inmates — one of whom was convicted of murdering an inmate five years earlier at the same facility — wielded weapons during an attack that stopped after prison guards sprayed chemical agents, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The two inmates began attacking Mario Campbell, 36, a man serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting a victim, burglary and robbery for an incident that occurred about a decade ago in Sacramento County, a Thursday news release said.

Prison guards broke up the fight about 5:05 p.m and took Campbell to receive treatment. He was pronounced dead at 6:27 p.m., the news release said.

Investigators found three improvised weapons at the scene of the attack. No one else was injured, the release said.

The alleged attackers, Cody Taylor and David Gomez, were placed in restricted housing as the investigation continues, the release said.

Campbell came to the prison on Oct. 19, 2009, after he was convicted of penetrating a victim against their will, sexual battery, burglary, robbery, assault with a firearm, falsely imprisoning a victim, preventing or dissuading a victim or a witness from contacting authorities, having a firearm as a felon and having a controlled substance, the release said. He was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole.

Taylor, 32, arrived to the prison in May 2013 after being sentenced to six years and four months in Ventura County for robbery, having a controlled substance and having a deadly weapon made by a prisoner. He was also sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for murder, attempted murder and having a weapon as a prison.

Taylor’s murder conviction stems from another attack at California State Prison, Sacramento, in which an inmate died in December 2019. Prison officials said Taylor and another man struck another inmate in that homicide.

Gomez, 58, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for rape, sexual assault and burglary for incidents stemming from Los Angeles County. He was sent to prison in this case in 1998.

Gomez was also sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder and assault in a case out of Monterey County.