California prison inmate suspected in death of cellmate

WASCO, Calif. (AP) — The death of an inmate at a California prison is being investigated as a homicide and the victim’s cellmate is a suspect, officials said Wednesday.

Scott Gunter, 59, was found unresponsive Tuesday in his cell at Wasco State Prison, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement. Staff attempted life-saving measures but Gunter died about a half-hour later, the statement said.

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The Kern County Coroner will determine the official cause of death.

Gunter’s cellmate, Eugene Stroud, is a suspect in the case, prison officials said. It wasn’t immediately known if Stroud, 44, has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Gunter entered the prison on Feb. 23 to serve a two-year sentence for failing to register as a sex offender, the statement said.

Stroud is serving more than 25 years on multiple counts including corporal injury on specific persons and making criminal threats, according to prison officials.

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