The Antelope Valley Times

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Suspected inmate homicide at state prison in Lancaster

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LANCASTER – Authorities at the state prison in Lancaster are investigating the death of an inmate as a suspected homicide and are questioning his cellmate.

Rashell Clarke, 39, was found unresponsive in his cell on Saturday, Feb. 6. Staff immediately began lifesaving measures, but he was declared dead at 11:26 a.m., said Lt. Duane Bennett of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives were sent to the scene Saturday to investigate the circumstances surrounding Clarke’s death, sheriff’s officials said in a news release.

“Detectives have learned that the suspect and the victim were involved in a mutual physical altercation,” the news release states. “The victim sustained unknown trauma to the body and was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries.”

Prison officials and local law enforcement are questioning Clarke’s cellmate, 33-year-old Leron Morris, as a suspect, according to Bennett.

Morris has been in prison since Sept. 13, 2005, serving a life term without the possibility of parole for a first-degree murder conviction in Contra Costa County, Bennett said.

Clarke had been housed at the California State Prison-Los Angeles County since Jan. 12, 2010. He had been serving a nearly 23-year sentence in a Shasta County case in which he was convicted of abusing and endangering the health of a child, according to Bennett.

The Lancaster prison, which opened in 1993, provides long-term housing for about 3,500 minimum-, medium- and maximum-security male inmates.

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17 comments for "Suspected inmate homicide at state prison in Lancaster"

  1. I am the girlfriend of the father of Rashell Clarke. To all you people who are leaving absurd heartless comments. You should be ashamed of yourselves for passing judgement on a situation you no nothing about. How dare you sit up on here and comment on this unjust human act. Get educated and a life!!!! GOD HATES UGLY!!!! I think there is a mirror in all your bathrooms. Go stand in it and slap yourselves. R.I.P PEE THE BOSS.

  2. A bunch uncompassionate intellectual animals have commented on this in this section. When will you step up, meet your own Creator half way and finish your own creation. You think that is Human? Think again.

  3. Thank you Leron for not only eliminating a bad guy but also keeping another family of cockroaches from moving here to visit their inmate family member in prison.

  5. I nominate Leron as cell mate of the year. There’s a bunch more sickos they should bunk him with.

  6. I like that that’s the way all killers and rapist should handle them self’s take each other out and help us tax payers and use that money for better education system

  8. I guess it is no big loss and what are they going to do to the guy who killed him if he is already in for life?

  10. I guess we will never will get a story about the Lancaster crime rate and why we live in the most dangerous city in the A.V.
    I think our Mayor Raymond has given up on the WAR on crime. What a Big Mouth…

      • Raymond Rex Parris. Raymond is the R. Those of us who grew up with Raymond and know who he really is know him as Raymond. That’s why it was so funny to watch him and Marvin discuss selling marijuana. They sounded like authorities on the subject. Funny how that would be.

  12. “Child abuse” Sounds like a cho-mo to me… No loss. Saves taxpayers some $ since his celly is already serving a life sentence.