Inmate found dead inside cell at Kern Valley prison

– A convicted robber has died after being found unconscious at aKern Valley State Prison and his cellmate is suspected of killing him.

State corrections officials say 34-year-old Gustavo Vital was found unresponsive Wednesday morning in his cell. Efforts to revive him failed.

There’s no word on the cause of death but authorities say it’s being investigated as a possible homicide and Vital’s cellmate, Jesse Serrano, 37, is considered a suspect. Serrano has been segregated pending the investigation.

Prison officials say Vital was serving more than 33 years for second-degree robbery.

Serrano is serving a 16-year sentence for using a hostage as a shield, with a firearm involved.

This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Inmate found dead inside cell at Kern Valley prison."