Homicide investigation at Salinas Valley State Prison

Officials are investigating a homicide at the Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad.

According to SVSP officials, the inmate death happened the morning of Sunday April 8th, in one of the prison’s maximum security yards.

Officials said inmate Michael Ellison attacked Jason Lewis with an inmate manufactured weapon. Officers quickly intervened and used chemical agents to stop the attack.

The victim, 42-year-old Jason Lewis, died at the prison. Lewis was serving a life with the possibility of parole for first degree murder.

The suspect, 35-year-old Michael Ellison, has been serving a life with the possibility of parole sentence from Riverside County for second-degree murder. During his time in prison, he also got convictions from Kern and Kings Counties for possession/manufacture of a deadly weapon by a prisoner and assault by a prisoner with a deadly weapon. In 2014, he received a 14-year sentence from Kern County for assault with a deadly weapon.

Prison administrators have limited inmate movement on the facility where the incident happened for the investigation.