Longtime Death Row Inmate, Jose Francisco Guerra, Dies

SAN QUENTIN (CBS13) — A condemned inmate has died after being found unresponsive in his cell Monday afternoon.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said death row inmate Jose Francisco Guerra, 61, was pronounced dead at 3:01 p.m. Monday. A coroner will determine his exact cause of death.

Staff reportedly found Guerra unresponsive in his single cell during a housing check Monday afternoon.

Guerra has been on death row since 1993 after he was convicted for first-degree murder in Los Angeles County.

Last month two other condemned inmates died within three days of each other. Royce Lyn Scott, 62, and James Odle, 71, both died at an outside hospital. Officials say Odle died of natural causes and a coroner is determining the cause of Scott's death. Foul play is not suspected.

California has not executed anyone since 2006. Gov. Gavin Newsom has halted executions so long as he is governor. Officials say there are 706 people currently on California's death row.

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