San Quentin inmate identified after cellmate dies

SAN QUENTIN, California. – A man incarcerated at San Quentin has been identified in connection with the death of his cellmate.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is recommending charges be brought against 50-year-old Joshua Jones for the murder of 43-year-old James Healy on April 24.

On Tuesday, the Marin County District Attorney said no charges had been filed and the case was “under review.”

Prison officials announced the development less than two weeks after KTVU published an article saying Healy's family had been given few details about his death.

Healy's family hired attorney David Fiol, who demanded that this information be released.

According to prison officials, correctional officers were conducting a patrol at about 9:40 p.m. when they found Healy “unresponsive” in his cell, suffering from a head injury. They did not provide details about the injury or the agent that caused the injury.

Healy's death was pronounced at 10:27 p.m.

Healy had been incarcerated in San Quentin since 2023 after being sentenced to nearly three years in prison for purchasing or receiving a stolen vehicle, trailer or construction equipment as a second offense, the CDCR said.

Jones came to San Quentin in 1998.

He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for first-degree premeditated murder and attempted first-degree murder, each with firearm rights.

In 2016, while in prison, Jones was sentenced to nine years in prison for assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and in 2021 to three years in prison for assault with a deadly weapon, according to the CDCR.

Both came from Sacramento County.

It is unclear why the two were housed together.

In an interview with Healy's sister last month, Dianna Coleman said her brother had left his gang, but she was convinced his cellmate had stayed.

“And so they basically put two different people from different sides in the same cell,” she said.

Jones has been placed in private accommodation while the investigation into Healy's death continues.