Zacarias Ruiz (Full Name: Zacarias Joseph Ruiz) Died in Suspected Homicide at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA (January 22, 2026) – An inmate identified as Zacarias Ruiz has died in a suspected attack at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.
San Bernardino County officials are saying that the incident took place on Monday, January 19. Authorities notice that Zacarias Ruiz was unresponsive inside of his jail cell and had visible trauma on his body.
Paramedics were called to the scene to help the victim. Zacarias Ruiz was transported to the hospital with injuries. Despite life-saving measures at the hospital, he was pronounced dead the following day.
Authorities believed that the victim was involved in some type of physical altercation with his cellmate. That cellmate is currently a suspect in the murder investigation.
A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for San Bernardino County Inmate Deaths
Jails in California have a legal obligation to protect inmates from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes protecting inmates from violence at the hands of other inmates. A jail could be liable if an inmate is injured or killed by another inmate if jail officials acted with deliberate indifference in failing to protect an inmate. In other words, they had specific knowledge of a risk of harm to an inmate and knowingly failed to take any action to prevent it. There are many ways that a jail may have acted negligently and failed to protect an inmate.
- Vulnerable Inmates: A jail may have chosen to house a vulnerable inmate with violent offenders.
- Supervision: A jail may have engaged in inadequate supervision of all of the inmates and their care.
- Threats: A jail may have failed to take action after learning that one inmate threatened to harm another inmate.
- Fights: A jail may have delayed responding to any type of fight or altercation between two inmates.
Inmate assaults are often highly preventable. They tend to involve situations where there are clear safety lapses. By the time any inmate kills another inmate, there were often numerous red flags that were missed. Part of the problem is that many jails across San Bernardino County and the rest of California are understaffed. It is important for inmates and their surviving family members to understand that they do have legal rights. The family of any inmate who dies in custody may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a constitutional claim.
Steps to Take After San Bernardino County Inmate Deaths
Far too many inmates die in custody every year in California and across the United States. According to Be Healthy Sacramento, “Evidence suggests there are likely between 6,500 and 7,000 deaths in custody each year in the United States. This includes deaths due to illnesses, suicides, homicides, and accidental deaths (National institute of Justice).” It is important that certain steps are taken after any inmate dies in custody.
- Any autopsy reports related to the death should be collected and reviewed.
- Medical records prior to the death should also be sought.
- Jail records related to an inmate stay should be scrutinized.
- The family of any inmate who died in custody should seek a thorough investigation into the accident by a team with experience in constitutional law.
Jails are often quick to claim that many of the inmate deaths in their custody were natural or random. But the fact of the matter is that many inmate deaths where an inmate is attacked are not entirely random. They tend to be the results of preventable safety lapses. Unfortunately, jails will virtually never accept responsibility if an inmate dies in their custody. This is why it is so important these incidents are thoroughly investigated by an outside party.
Investigating San Bernardino County Inmate Deaths
We at Carrazco Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Zacarias Ruiz. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong so that similar tragedies can be prevented.
Do you need more information about an inmate death at the West Valley Detention Center? Our team of civil rights advocates is here for you. We are committed to helping inmates and their families understand their constitutional rights and protecting those rights through skilled advocacy. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any particular incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (800) 541-3244.
