Pelican Bay State Prison Officials Investigating Death of Incarcerated Person as a Homicide

CRESCENT CITY - California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials are investigating the death of an incarcerated person at Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP) as a homicide.

On Sept. 17, 2026, at approximately 6 p.m., staff responded to a medical emergency call and found incarcerated person Rene B. Lopez unresponsive in a housing unit. Life-saving measures were immediately initiated, 911 was activated and Lopez was then transported to the institution's clinic. At 6:53 p.m., paramedics pronounced Lopez deceased. No staff injuries were reported.

PBSP's Investigative Services Unit arrived to secure and process the crime scene.

A review of the Audio Video Surveillance System showed incarcerated persons Joseph W. Morales and Richard Garcia working in concert to attack Lopez. They then appeared to hand improvised weapons to incarcerated person Estevan Saucedo, who threw both weapons into a garbage can. Staff later recovered the weapons. Further surveillance review showed incarcerated persons Jose D. Rodriguez and Freddie G. Sanchez were also involved.

All suspects were placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by the PBSP Investigative Services Unit and the Del Norte County District Attorney's Office.

Movement is being limited in PBSP's Facility A. The Office of the Inspector General has been notified.

Lopez, 31, was received from Los Angeles County on April 8, 2013, sentenced to 29 years for assault with a semiautomatic firearm with enhancements for street gang activity, inflicting great bodily injury, and use of a firearm.

Morales, 40, was most recently received from Riverside County on April 30, 2019, sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder with an enhancement for personal use of a dangerous or deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, all third-strike offenses; and assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury, a second-strike offense, He was also sentenced by Riverside Couty to two years for possession/manufacture of a deadly weapon by an incarcerated person; one year, four months for vehicle theft; and one year, four months for possession of paraphernalia/drugs/alcohol in jail/prison.

Garcia, 52, was most recently received from San Luis Obispo County on July 31, 1997, sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder, a second-strike offense, with enhancements for prior felony conviction of a serious offense and use of a deadly weapon; and assault with a deadly weapon as a third striker.

Saucedo, 30, was received from Los Angeles County on Feb. 12, 2020, sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder with an enhancement for intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death, and attempted second-degree murder. He was also sentenced by Los Angeles County on Sept. 9, 2020, to four years for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury.

Rodriguez, 28, was received from Los Angeles County on April 18, 2025, sentenced to 31 years for attempted second-degree murder with an enhancement for discharge of a firearm, and voluntary manslaughter.

Sanchez, 35, was received from Los Angeles County on Feb. 8, 2013, sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for discharging a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and second-degree burglary, with enhancements for being armed with a firearm. On Nov. 15, 2021, he was sentenced to eight years for assault by an incarcerated person with a deadly weapon/instrument, a second-strike offense.

PBSP houses minimum, medium, and maximum-security male incarcerated persons. The institution opened in 1989. PBSP is located on 275 acres on the North Coast of California, 13 miles from the Oregon/California Border, houses more than 2,100 incarcerated people and employs about 1,400 staff.

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