Obituaries
Vacaville Inmate's Death Investigated As Homicide
Guards found the inmate unresponsive, with injuries to his head and face, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said.
VACAVILLE, CA— California Medical Facility prison officials are investigating the death last week of an inmate at the Vacaville facility as a homicide. An officer conducting an inmate count found Tuc X. Tran, 75, unresponsive in his cell around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Tran had multiple injuries to his head and face and the officer suspected Tran was attacked by his 39-year-old cellmate, James Norton. Staff members restrained and removed Norton from the cell, began life-saving measures and summoned an ambulance.
Tran was taken to the prison's Triage and Treatment Area as medical measures continued, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 4:51 p.m. Thursday.
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The Solano County District Attorney's Office and the Office of the Inspector General were notified and Tran's next of kin was informed of his death Monday.
Norton was rehoused into Administrative Segregation housing, and the Investigative Services Unit reported to the scene for crime scene preservation and evidence collection.
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Tran, who arrived at the prison from Riverside County on Feb. 2, 2015, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder, according to the state's Department of Corrections and Rehabiitations.
Norton was received from Mendocino County on Nov. 20, after he was sentenced to two years for causing a fire on forest land, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said.