Centinela State Prison Investigates Death of Incarcerated Person as a Homicide
On Monday, Nov. 14 at 10:16 a.m., staff quickly responded when two incarcerated people, Jose Perez and Juan Serrano, allegedly attacked incarcerated person William Quintero in a recreation yard. Staff contained the incident within minutes. Two inmate-manufactured weapons were recovered. No staff members were injured.
Quintero suffered multiple injuries and was airlifted to an outside hospital. He was pronounced deceased at 7:33 p.m. The Riverside County Coroner will determine Quintero’s official cause of death.
Perez and Serrano have been moved to segregated housing as the investigation continues. Officials have limited population movement on the yard to facilitate the investigation and notified the Office of the Inspector General.
Quintero, 47, was admitted from Los Angeles County on July 8, 1999, to serve life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, kidnaping, first-degree robbery and second-degree robbery.
Perez, 46, was admitted from Los Angeles County on Oct. 23, 2008, to serve life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, second-degree murder and kidnapping. While awaiting transport to state prison he was convicted of possessing a controlled substance while in jail. Perez served a previous term in 2005 for possession of a firearm by a felon.
Serrano, 34, was most recently admitted from Santa Barbara County on May 19, 2022, to serve life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and conspiracy to participate in criminal street gang acts.
CEN opened in 1993 and houses approximately 3,000 incarcerated people. It is located near the town of Imperial in Southern California. CEN offers academic classes, vocational programs, rehabilitative programs, medical services and mental health treatment, religious services, work assignments and self-help groups, and employs approximately 1,200 people.
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