Investigation Launched After Homicide at High Desert State Prison
- The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is investigating the death of an incarcerated person at High Desert State Prison (HDSP) as a homicide.
- At 6:13 p.m., staff at HDSP saw Incarcerated Person Zachary Barron (BK9931) attacking Incarcerated Person Juan Linares (AB2117) with an improvised weapon.
- Linares, 44, received immediate medical attention and was transported to the Correctional Treatment Center (CTC).
Investigation Underway for Homicide at High Desert State Prison
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is investigating the death of an incarcerated person at High Desert State Prison (HDSP) as a homicide. The incident occurred on November 26, 2024.
At 6:13 p.m., staff at HDSP saw Incarcerated Person Zachary Barron (BK9931) attacking Incarcerated Person Juan Linares (AB2117) with an improvised weapon. Barron stabbed Linares multiple times before officers intervened to stop the attack.
Linares, 44, received immediate medical attention and was transported to the Correctional Treatment Center (CTC). Despite CPR and other life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead at 7:09 p.m. at an outside hospital.
Juan Linares was serving a sentence of 36 years to life for second-degree murder. He was placed in CDCR custody from Alameda County on October 20, 2009. Zachary Barron, 32, was serving 14 years to life for first-degree murder. He was admitted from San Bernardino County on December 5, 2019, and is currently in restricted housing during the investigation.
The HDSP Investigative Services Unit and the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office are looking into the incident. The Office of the Inspector General has been notified, and the Lassen County Coroner will determine the official cause of death.
High Desert State Prison, which opened in 1995, houses around 3,300 incarcerated individuals and provides various services, including educational, vocational, medical, and mental health support.