California State Prison, Sacramento: Man Found Unresponsive in His Cell as CDCR Opens Homicide Investigation
FOLSOM, CALIFORNIA (November 5, 2026): Dennis Romero, 49, died in custody at California State Prison, Sacramento on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after staff found him unresponsive in his cell, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is investigating his death as a homicide, according to a CDCR news release. The prison, also known as New Folsom, sits next to Folsom State Prison in the city of Folsom.
Staff found Romero unresponsive at 2:51 p.m., called 911 and began life-saving measures while taking him to the prison’s treatment and triage area, CDCR said. Paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead at 3:27 p.m. The Sacramento Bee and CBS Sacramento also reported the death, citing CDCR officials.
CDCR said Romero’s cellmate, a 23-year-old man, was placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by the prison’s Investigative Services Unit and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. The state Office of the Inspector General was notified. No one has been charged, and anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Romero’s death is not the first at the prison this fall. This blog has also reported on the death of Carlos Montenegro after an attack at California State Prison, Sacramento in late October.
CDCR has not said how Romero died, whether he had visible injuries, when staff last checked the cell or whether there had been earlier conflict between the two men. A cause of death has not been released. These are early accounts, and initial findings sometimes change as investigators, the coroner and prosecutors review the case.
Liability for an In-Custody Death at California State Prison, Sacramento
Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a person may generally bring a civil rights claim against government officials who, while acting under state law, violate rights protected by the Constitution. For people serving a prison sentence, the Eighth Amendment applies, and in Farmer v. Brennan (1994) the U.S. Supreme Court held that prison officials must take reasonable measures to protect people in their custody from violence by other prisoners. Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 generally allows certain family members to bring a wrongful death claim when a death is caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.
- Duty to protect: Under Farmer, liability generally turns on whether officials knew of a substantial risk of serious harm and failed to respond reasonably, which makes what staff knew about these two cellmates a central question.
- Housing decisions: Investigators and courts generally look at how two people were assigned to share a cell, including classification records and any requests or complaints about the housing.
- Cell checks and response: Records of security checks, cameras and staff response before 2:51 p.m. can show when the man was last seen alive and how quickly staff reached him.
- The family’s claims: Certain family members may have a wrongful death claim under § 377.60, and the separate reviews by the District Attorney and the Office of the Inspector General may produce records that matter to those claims.
Each case depends on its own facts and evidence. Whether anyone is responsible will be decided by investigators and, in any civil case, by the courts.
Steps to Take After a Death at California State Prison, Sacramento
The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics collects data on deaths in state prisons through its Mortality in Correctional Institutions program, which records homicide as a separate cause of death. When a family loses someone inside a prison, these steps can help:
- Ask for official information: Contact CDCR and the coroner handling the case to confirm the death, request the case number and ask how to obtain the autopsy and coroner reports.
- Keep every record: Save letters, phone and video visit logs, commissary messages and any complaint your loved one mentioned about cell assignments or threats.
- Follow the outside reviews: Note that the Office of the Inspector General and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office were notified, and keep any information they share with the family.
- Learn the process: Our guide on what to do if a family member dies in a California jail explains the records families can request and how in-custody deaths are reviewed.
Legal deadlines and notice requirements apply after a crash, injury or death, and they vary with the facts of each case, the location and the parties involved, including any public agency. Contact an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.
Investigating the Death of Dennis Romero
We at Carrazco Law, A.P.C., a personal injury and civil rights law firm in Irvine, California, extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dennis Romero. Important questions remain: What did prison staff know about the two men before they were housed together in the same cell? And when was the last security check of that cell before Romero was found unresponsive?
If a loved one died or was seriously injured while in custody anywhere in California, our civil rights attorneys can help you understand your rights and legal options. Call us anytime at (800) 541-3244. Se Habla Español. Free consultation.
Published on November 7, 2026 by M.M., Carrazco Law, A.P.C. The incident described in this article occurred on November 5, 2026.
