A 66-year-old incarcerated man was found unresponsive in his cell at San Diego’s Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility on Saturday morning, prompting a homicide investigation inside the prison. His cellmate was removed from the unit and placed in restricted housing as authorities worked to determine what happened.
Hector Ozuna was found with his cellmate, 30-year-old Alexis Guerrero, according to 10News. Custody staff performed life-saving measures, but Ozuna was pronounced dead at 6:57 a.m.; officials said no weapons were found at the scene. Ozuna was serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for assault with a weapon, while Guerrero was serving a six-year sentence.
Cellmate Removed As Investigation Continues
Guerrero was taken out of the cell and placed in restricted housing while the investigation proceeds. The public information released so far does not identify a motive or describe the circumstances that led to Ozuna’s death.
Richard J. Donovan is a multi-mission state prison that houses people across several custody levels and provides medical, mental-health and rehabilitative services, according to the CDCR facility page. The prison is located in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego.
Coroner Will Determine Official Cause Of Death
The San Diego County Coroner will determine Ozuna’s official cause of death, 10News reports. A homicide investigation does not by itself establish how the man died or indicate that criminal charges have been filed against Guerrero.
The case follows another death investigated as a homicide at the same prison last year. In a 2025 CDCR release, state officials said an incarcerated man died after a cell fight, while the other person involved was placed in restricted housing and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office joined the investigation.
Officials have not announced any charges or released additional details about the current case. Further information is expected from the coroner and investigators as they work to establish the cause and circumstances of Ozuna’s death.
