California State Prison officials have reported that two inmates are under suspicion for the fatal attack on a fellow inmate at their Sacramento facility. The incident occurred in the main exercise yard on Sunday afternoon, leading to the death of 39-year-old Jonathan Rude.
Tyler Yates, aged 30, and Jake Kennedy are accused of attacking Rude. Yates, who was sentenced in 2017 to eight years for first-degree burglary and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, is already facing serious charges related to past offenses in San Diego. In addition to the current allegations, he was sentenced last year to life in prison with the possibility of parole for a first-degree murder, which correctional officials have labeled as an “in-prison offense.”
Details on Yates’ previous murder charge remain limited, although a 2022 report indicated that he and another inmate were involved in a violent incident that resulted in a fellow inmate’s death at the same prison.
Rude, sentenced in Butte County last year to four years for vehicle theft, has become the latest victim of prison violence. Following the attack, two improvised weapons were recovered from the exercise yard.
As investigations continue, both Yates and Kennedy are expected to face additional charges related to Rude’s death. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has not released further details regarding the incident, but their ongoing scrutiny of violence within state prisons remains a pressing concern.
