Daniel Haro/CDCR

A 27-year-old Pelican Bay State Prison inmate was found dead in his cell Thursday.

Officials are investigating Martin Aguilar's death as a homicide and say his cellmate, Daniel Haro, is a suspect, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

From a CDCR news release:

CRESCENT CITY – Officials at Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP) are investigating the death of inmate Martin Aguilar as a homicide.

Aguilar, 27, was found dead in his cell this morning and was pronounced deceased at 9:21 a.m.

Aguilar was received from San Diego County on April 19 2015, to serve eight years for assault with a deadly weapon and an enhancement for a street gang act in commission of a serious felony; two years for possession of a controlled substance for sale; and one year, four months for assault with any means likely to produce great bodily injury of a peace officer/firefighter. While incarcerated, Aguilar was sentenced in Imperial County in 2018 to serve two years for battery on a non-prisoner and in Del Norte County in 2019 to serve three years, four months for battery on a non-prisoner, a second-strike in-prison offense, and resisting/deterring an officer with threats/violence, a second-strike in-prison offence.

Daniel Haro, Aguilar’s cellmate, is the suspect in this case.

Haro, 37, was admitted from San Diego County on April 28, 2014, to serve life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, a second strike, and a consecutive 18-year sentence for attempted second-degree murder, also a second strike.

The Investigative Services Unit at PBSP is investigating. The Office of the Inspector General was notified.

Pelican Bay State Prison, located in Del Norte County, houses approximately 2,200 minimum-, medium-, and maximum-security inmates. The institution provides high school and college academic classes, career technical education, work assignments, self-help programs, arts-in-corrections, computer literacy and other rehabilitation programs that address substance use disorders, anger management and family relationships. The institution opened in 1989 and employs more than 1,200 people.

SHARE →