Homicide Investigation Underway Following Inmate Death In Murrieta

MURRIETA (CBSLA.com) — Authorities Saturday continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of an inmate at a detention center in Murrieta.

The deceased was identified by the Coroner's office as 35-year-old Julio Negrete of Quail Valley.

Authorities say the center's staff was alerted to an unresponsive and unconscious inmate about 12:35 p.m. Thursday.

Lifesaving measures were initiated on Negrete but he was pronounced dead in his cell, a statement issued by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.

"It was later determined that the subject was involved in a physical altercation with another inmate," the statement said.

Negrete's death was being investigated as a homicide, authorities said, adding that no one has been named a suspect.

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