VACAVILLE ― California State Prison-Solano (CSP-SOL) officials are investigating two separate but related homicide incidents that resulted in the deaths of two inmates.
At about 3:20 p.m. today, inmates Pedro Garcia and Greg Medrano attacked Mizrain Nava Cano with weapons on Facility D, a Level II general population yard. Less than a minute later, Gabriel Mora and Richard Raya attacked inmate Jorge Cruz-Banuelos on the same yard.
Responding correctional officers used blast grenades and pepper spray to stop the attacks.
Nava Cano suffered several stab wounds to his neck and back. He was pronounced deceased by paramedics at 3:45 p.m. Cruz-Banuelos suffered numerous stab wounds to his neck, chest and back. He was pronounced deceased at 3:42 p.m.
Mizrain Nava Cano, 26, was serving a 13-year sentence from Sonoma County for voluntary manslaughter and an enhancement for committing a street gang act in the commission of a violent felony. He had been in state prison since May 9, 2017.
Jorge Cruz-Banuelos, 30, was admitted from Sonoma County on Feb. 26, 2013, and was serving 17 years, four months for assault with a deadly weapon, inflicting great bodily injury, criminal gang activity, and prior felony conviction of a serious offense.
Three weapons were recovered. No correctional officers were injured.
The Investigative Services Unit at CSP-SOL, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, and the Vacaville Police Department are investigating. The Office of the Inspector General was notified.
Movement on Facility D has been limited to facilitate the investigation.
The four suspects are being re-housed in the Administrative Segregation Unit pending investigation.
Pedro Garcia, 31, was admitted from Kings County on Feb. 23, 2018, to serve six years for manufacture of a controlled substance, his second strike.
Greg R. Medrano, 38, was admitted from Kings County on Aug. 14, 2012, and is serving a 32-year sentence for attempted second-degree murder, discharging a firearm, inflicting great bodily injury and carjacking.
Gabriel Mora, 42, was admitted on Aug. 22, 2014, from Tulare County with a 15-year sentence for assault with a firearm, inflicting great bodily injury, use of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon or addict.
Richard Raya, 25, was admitted from San Joaquin County on Feb. 9, 2018, and is serving a 12-year sentence for assault with a semiautomatic firearm and inflicting great bodily injury.
CSP-SOL opened in 1984 and provides comprehensive work, vocational training, academic education, self-help and other rehabilitation programs to give incarcerated people the life skills necessary for reentering society. The institution houses 4,310 inmates and employs 1,197 people.
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