San Quentin Inmate’s Death Probed As Homicide

SAN QUENTIN, CA — The death of a 66-year-old San Quentin inmate earlier this week is being investigated as a homicide, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a news release.

A correctional officer conducting a cell count at around 12:40 a.m. found John Sullivan found unresponsive in his cell, authorities said.

Sullivan was pronounced dead at 1:18 by outside medical personnel after life-saving measures failed, authorities said.

Sullivan was serving a 10-year sentence for a second-strike failure to register as a sex offender conviction in Placer County, authorities said. He was admitted to San Quentin on March 3, 2016.

Sammeon Waller, 28, has been identified as the suspect, authorities said.

Waller is serving a seven-year sentence for a first-degree burglary and injury to a dependent adult causing death/great bodily injury conviction in Los Angeles County. He was admitted Dec. 20, 2017.

Waller has been rehoused in the Administrative Segregation Unit pending the investigation.

The prison’s Investigative Services Unit is investigating this incident and the Office of the Inspector General has been notified.