Wasco State Prison Officials Investigating the Death of an Incarcerated Person as a Homicide

WASCO - Wasco State Prison (WSP) officials are investigating the death of David Dominguez as a homicide after he was attacked by two other incarcerated persons on Aug. 24, 2024.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., staff observed Dominguez being physically supported by other incarcerated persons in the dayroom. He told staff he had suffered a seizure and fell. An emergency medical alert was immediately issued, and responding medical staff determined he needed a higher level of care. He was transported to the triage and treatment area, and an ambulance was summoned while life-saving measures were performed. Dominguez was pronounced deceased by a paramedic at 4:07 p.m.

A subsequent review of the audio-video surveillance system showed incarcerated persons Jose Landeros and Michael S. Padilla entering Dominguez's cell and engaging in a physical altercation.

Landeros and Padilla have been placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by WSP Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorney's Office. Additionally, incarcerated persons Robert Rubalcava, Leonel A. Torres, Zakary W. White and Mario Aguillon have been placed in restricted housing pending the investigation. The Office of the Inspector General was notified, and the Kern County Coroner will determine Dominguez's official cause of death.

Dominguez, 29, was received from San Diego County on Oct. 4, 2023, sentenced to three years for extortion by means of force or threat and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, with enhancements for street gang act.

Landeros, 27, was received from Riverside County on March 6, 2020, sentenced to 16 years for second-degree robbery with an enhancement for use of a firearm. He was also sentenced by Kern County on Jan. 5, 2022, to three years, four months for second-degree robbery, assault with a firearm and false imprisonment with violence.

Padilla, 37, was most recently received from San Bernardino County on May 25, 2023, sentenced to 22 years for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, a second-strike offense, with enhancements for fleeing the scene and for a prior felony conviction of a serious offense.

Robert Rubalcava, 40, was most recently received from San Bernardino County on Sept. 29, 2023, sentenced to 14 years for attempted second-degree murder as a second striker, with enhancements for use of a firearm and street gang act.

Leonel A. Torres, 40, was received from Santa Barbara County on Nov. 8, 2019, sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder.

Zakary W. White, 27, was most recently received from Riverside County on Feb. 1, 2024, sentenced to six years for vehicle theft with prior vehicle-related theft convictions as a second striker.

Mario Aguillon, 37, was received from Los Angeles County on Feb. 2, 2005, sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder. On Nov. 15, 2013, Sacramento County sentenced him to life with the possibility of parole for an in-prison offense of assault, a second-strike offense, with an enhancement for a prior felony conviction of a serious offense.

WSP, located in Kern County, opened in 1991 and houses approximately 3,300 incarcerated people and employs about 1,470 staff. The primary mission of WSP is to provide short-term housing necessary to process, classify and evaluate people newly admitted to state prison physically and mentally, and to determine their security level, program requirements, and appropriate institutional placement. A 1,000-bed medium custody facility houses general population inmates to help support and maintain the reception center. A 400-bed minimum-custody facility provides institutional maintenance and landscaping services.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 26, 2024

Contact: OPEC Press Office
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