Six inmates allegedly murdered a fellow prisoner at a Texas jail Monday, prompting officials to take measures to prevent potential retaliation between inmates over the man’s killing, authorities said.
Detention officers at the El Paso County Jail Annex found an inmate unresponsive inside his cell and immediately called medical staff, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said.
The inmate, identified as 57-year-old Jesus Torres, was determined to be deceased in the cell, according to authorities. A subsequent investigation discovered that he had been assaulted and his death was considered a homicide.
Jail administrators separated inmates and placed certain prisoners in individual "lock-down" cells in anticipation of potential retaliation over the death of Torres.
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Detectives have identified six inmates assigned to the same cell block who they suspect were involved in murdering Torres.
The six inmates were identified as 31-year-old Manuel Alejandro Vargas, 18-year-old Juan Alberto Ortiz, 23-year-old George Lopez, 38-year-old Jesus Adrian Rocha, 29-year-old Jovani Dionicio Ramos, and 25-year-old Christian Carillo.
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Ortiz, who was awaiting trial after allegedly murdering his own mother with a shotgun last year, was charged with capital murder while the others were rebooked on charges of murder, the El Paso Times reported.
A possible motive for the deadly assault has not been disclosed.
Torres had been jailed since early June on charges of drug possession and a probation violation on a smuggling of persons case, the sheriff’s office said.
