Death at Salinas Valley State Prison Sunday investigated as homicide

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION) Salinas Valley State Prison officials are investigating a death at the prison Sunday as a homicide, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

At around 12:34 p.m., officers responded to a disturbance in a Facility B general population housing unit and found that 25-year-old Elazer Black had collapsed on the floor and was bleeding from his chest.

The CDCR said there were four suspects nearby, and one of them had an inmate-manufactured weapon. When asked to give up the weapon, the CDCR said he ignored the orders. Officers then used chemicals to stop the attack and get the weapon. They found another inmate-manufactured weapon in that area too.

Black had been stabbed multiple times in his chest. Staff tried to save him and got an ambulance, but he was pronounced dead at 1:09 p.m.

Black was brought to the prison from San Joaquin County to serve a 26 year sentence for voluntary manslaughter.

The four suspects in the case are 26-year-old Lamar Shaw, 30-year-old Ronald Armstrong, 34-year-old Kevin Moore and 44-year-old Asbury Rankins, but the case is still under investigation.

Shaw came to the prison from Alameda County in May 2016 to serve a life sentence with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder with a 25 year enhancement for using a a gun to cause great bodily injury or deaht.

Armstrong was admitted in August 2012 from Contra Costa County. He is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder and carjacking.

Moore was admitted in March 2011 from Solano County. He is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder and a 25 year enhancement for using a gun to cause great bodily injury or death.

Rankins was admitted in October 2006 from Alameda County. He is serving a 17 year sentence for voluntary manslaughter an an enhancement for using a gun. He got another six years in June 2012 from Kings County for having a controlled substance in jail or prison.

All four were moved to the Administrative Segregation Unit while the homicide is investigated.

The facility where it happened was put on a 24-hour threat assessment to find out whether it is an isolated incident.