FOLSOM.– California State Prison, Sacramento (CSP-SAC) officials are investigating the death of Joseph D. Horne as a homicide.
At approximately 7:20 a.m. today, officers observed what appeared to be a fight inside a cell occupied by Horne and Deshai C. Moore in one of the housing buildings. Once inside the cell, officers found Horne motionless on the ground. They immediately began life-saving measures, and transported him to the prison’s Treatment and Triage Area. Horne, 42, was pronounced dead at 7:44 a.m. His next-of-kin has been notified, as well as the Office of the Inspector General. The Sacramento County Coroner will determine Horne’s official cause of death.
His cellmate, Moore, 33, has been identified as the alleged suspect. He has been rehoused to the prison’s administrative segregation unit while the investigation is conducted.
Horne was received by CDCR in June 2005 from Monterey County with a life-without-parole sentence for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a firearm, and criminal threat, discharge of a firearm in a dwelling, transporting/selling a controlled substance, and assault with a firearm, and street gang act in the commission of a violent felony.
Moore was received by CDCR in February 2009 from Los Angeles County with a 14-year sentence for two counts of second-degree robbery with the use of a firearm. He received an additional sentence of 2 years, 8 months in November 2011 from Imperial County while incarcerated for battery against a custodial officer.
Activated in 1986, CSP-SAC is a high-security prison in Folsom that houses more than 1,600 incarcerated people. The institution houses those serving long-term sentences, those requiring specialized mental health programming, and incarcerated people with high-risk medical concerns. The institution also provides work, career technical education, academic, self-help, art, religious and other rehabilitative programs.
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Contact: CDCR Press Office, opec@cdcr.ca.gov.