Salinas Valley State Prison investigating Christmas Eve homicide

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION-TV)- The Salinas Valley State Prison said they responded Saturday to reports of a man being attacked by his cellmate at around 2:49 p.m.

Staff quickly arrived and found Ross Nusser, 45, unresponsive in his cell after the alleged attack. Lifesaving measures were attempted, and EMTs arrived to offer additional aid, but after being transported to an outside hospital, Nusser died of his injuries, per SVSP.

His time of death was listed as 7:46 p.m. on Dec. 24. SVSP officials said they are investigating this death as a homicide.

Benjamin Ramage, 42, was Nusser's cellmate, and he was placed into segregated housing as the investigation continues, said SVSP. Officials have also limited population movement in the yard to help with the investigation. The Office of the Inspector General has also been notified of the homicide.

Nusser was admitted from Riverside County on Oct. 5, 2010, and was serving life with the possibility of parole for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury.

Ramage was admitted from Kings County on Nov. 20, 2015. He was serving four years for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.

Ramage got an added six-year sentence in 2017 for an in-prison offense of battery on a non-prisoner. He also received an additional four-year sentence in 2019 for assault by a prisoner with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury, per SVSP.