Convicted rapist killed by another inmate at California prison

Convicted rapist killed by another prison inmate

Kenneth Wilson allegedly attacked fellow inmate Renee Rodriguez at the Lancaster prison.

LANCASTER, Calif. - A convicted rapist's killing at the hands of a fellow inmate doing life without parole at California State Prison, Los Angeles County, in Lancaster was being investigated Monday as a homicide.

What we know:

The attack happened Sunday, April 27, around 7:15 p.m., according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Officials said staff observed Kenneth M. Wilson, 30, attacking Renee A. Rodriguez, 51, in the dayroom of the prison. 

Officers intervened using chemical agents and non-lethal weapons, but Rodriguez died from his injuries after being transported to an outside medical facility. 

Renee Rodriguez (left) was allegedly killed by Kenneth Wilson (right) at a Lancaster prison. / CA Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Two improvised weapons were recovered at the scene.

The backstory:

Rodriguez was received from LA County in 2001, serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for rape with force/violence/fear of bodily injury. He had previous convictions for possession/manufacture of a deadly weapon while incarcerated. 

Wilson was received from Riverside County in 2020, serving a life sentence without parole for first-degree murder, with additional sentences for various offenses, including possession of drugs and battery on emergency personnel.

What's next:

Wilson has been placed in restricted housing pending investigations by the LAC Investigative Services Unit and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. 

The Office of the Inspector General has been notified, and the Los Angeles County Coroner will determine Rodriguez’s official cause of death. 

The investigation continues as officials seek to understand the circumstances surrounding the attack.