California inmate dies in prison attack, making him third in 11 days: police

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Two inmates at a Northern California prison killed another inmate on Friday, authorities said, the third instance in under two weeks that an inmate was killed while jailed in the state.

The latest killing happened at High Desert State Prison, officials said. Inmates William Lutts, 39, and Timothy Smith, 40, attacked fellow inmate Terence Coleman, 51.

Coleman died following the attack and officials are investigating the death as a homicide.

Lutts also was seriously injured and taken to an outside hospital, while Smith was moved to an isolation unit while the case is investigated.

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Authorities say inmate Terence Coleman was attacked by fellow inmates William Lutts and Timothy Smith at High Desert State Prison, Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, and that he died from his injuries. Officials are investigating the death as a homicide. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)

Last week, two inmates serving life sentences died after being attacked at California prisons, officials said at the time, one at Salinas Valley State Prison and the other at California State Prison, Sacramento, commonly known as New Folsom.

All three men in the latest incident have lengthy criminal histories.

This Sept. 25, 2020, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows inmate William Lutts. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)

Coleman had been serving a sentence of life with the possibility of parole from Yolo County assault and robbery charges after two previous burglary convictions. While in prison, he was sentenced to an additional 12 years for voluntary manslaughter.

Lutts was serving an 18-year term from Tuolumne County for assault with a firearm on a peace officer or firefighter. While in prison, he was sentenced to another nine years for assault with a deadly weapon as a second striker. This year he was convicted of making or possessing deadly weapon and sentenced to two more years.

This Sept. 25, 2020, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows inmate Timothy Smith. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)

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Smith is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for a San Joaquin County murder and attempted murder. He had a previous four-year sentence for evading a police officer causing death or great bodily injury, vehicle theft, and failure to appear in court. He subsequently had another four-year sentence for burglary and vehicle theft.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.