Salinas Valley State Prison investigating inmate’s fatal stabbing

An inmate at Salinas Valley State Prison was stabbed to death early Sunday morning, prison officials said.

Investigators are looking into the homicide, which occurred at 12:30 a.m. in Facility B, one of the institution’s maximum security yards. Staff approached the cell after observing movement late in the evening. Inside the cell, they found a man lying on his bunk, bleeding from multiple stabbing wounds.

The victim, 23-year-old Luis Manuel Baladez, was committed to the state prison system in September 2013 on a two-year, eight month sentence out of Los Angeles County for carrying a concealed weapon.

Investigators have identified his cellmate, 25-year-old Horacio Gonzales, as the primary suspect. Gonzales was committed to the state prison system in February to serve a life sentence for attempted murder.

Prison administrators have limited inmate movement on the facility where the stabbing occurred as they investigate.