Inmate who was assaulted in Kern County jail has died

10-8-2014 California:

An inmate who was assaulted over the weekend in the Lerdo Pretrial Facility has died.

Christopher Earl Pettenger, 34, was assaulted by other inmates. He was found Saturday suffering from severe head injuries inside his cell, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office.

The coroner's office released his name Wednesday, a day after he died at Kern Medical Center. An autopsy is scheduled.

Sheriff's office spokesman Ray Pruitt said he couldn't comment on suspects or a motive, citing the open investigation.

Florence inmate death may be homicide, officials say

8-18-2014 Arizona:

Authorities are investigating a suspected homicide at a state prison in Florence, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Prison officials found Lino Flores unresponsive and suffering from traumatic injuries at about 2 p.m. Saturday in his cell at the Eyman prison complex, ADC spokesman Doug Nick said.

Paramedics pronounced Flores, 53, dead at the scene, Nick said. Flores was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, second-degree murder, sexual assault, possession of a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon.

Investigators are questioning fellow inmate Julio Salazar, Nick said. Salazar, 32, is serving time for first-degree murder and manslaughter.

No other information was immediately available. ..Source.. by Matthew Casey

Third suspect faces trial on fatal fire

Posted in Related Deaths

9-29-2014 Ohio:

Two of the three people accused of helping start a house fire that killed two deaf people have been sentenced to prison and a third is now set to go on trial in October.

A Seneca County judge said Charles Schaeffer, 44, Fostoria, will go on trial Oct. 27 on charges that include complicity to aggravated murder and complicity to aggravated arson. His defense lawyer, Mark Klepatz, told the judge that Schaeffer didn’t want to consider a plea deal.

“We are not accepting anything because my client has said from the beginning that he didn’t do it,” Klepatz said.

Authorities said a railroad flare was used to start the May 26 fire in Fostoria. The fire killed 48-year-old Daniel Marker Jr. and 44-year-old Tara Vance, and injured a third person.

A detective said in court this past June that one of the suspects acted out of revenge after accusing Marker, the home’s owner, of sexually abusing a child.

Fostoria police had been looking into the abuse allegations made against Marker, who was a registered sex offender, before the fire, detective Shilo Frankart said.

Two men seeking revenge for --alleged rape-- accused of murdering Milwaukie man

10-3-2014 Oregon:

A man suspected of shooting a Milwaukie man to death in 2010 was charged Friday with murder.

Michael Edward Varela Jr. was arraigned in Clackamas County Circuit Court on one count of murder in the death of William Jerome "Billy" Gaul. Varela also was charged with two counts of attempted aggravated murder and a probation violation involving a drug possession.

A second suspect, Christopher Russell Bueler, also has been indicted on similar charges but has not yet been arraigned.

Prosecutor Chris Owen declined to comment on when Bueler, who is serving time in an Oregon prison, will be formally charged.

Gaul, 48, was one of three men attacked April 13, 2010, as they worked on a pickup in the 6800 block of Southeast Lamphier Street.

Petaluma slaying suspect arrested

9-11-2014 California:

A suspect was jailed in connection with the shooting death of a man at his home in Petaluma, police said Thursday.

Mikol Wayne Stewart, 37, of Santa Rosa is being held on suspicion of murder and burglary in connection with the slaying of Arturo Hinojosa Jr., 49.

The incident began about 4 p.m. Wednesday with a report of gunshots on Suncrest Hill Drive, said Lt. Dan Fish. Responding officers found Hinojosa dead from at least one gunshot wound.

Police identified Stewart as the suspect with the help of witnesses who said they saw a pickup truck with an ATV in the bed near the crime scene, Fish said. He said Stewart was found in Santa Rosa in a vehicle matching that description.

Hinojosa grew medical marijuana at his home and was a registered sex offender, having been convicted of oral copulation with a minor. But police don't believe either was a factor in the killing, Fish said.