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Death row inmate dies in San Quentin cell

A condemned inmate at San Quentin State Prison was found unresponsive and pronounced dead early Thursday morning, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Sam Brasure was discovered in his cell around 12:50 a.m. and pronounced dead at 1:17 a.m.

Investigators say his cause of death is not yet being released, pending the results of an autopsy.

<a href="https://flic.kr/p/fwsALw">Edward Stojakovic</a>/Flickr Sam Brasure, 49, was found dead in his San Quentin State Prison cell early Thursday, November 14, 2019. Brasure has been on death row since 1998 when he was convicted of the first-degree murder of Anthony Guest, 20, in Ventura County.

Brasure, 49, had been on death row since 1998. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the case of 20-year-old Anthony Guest in Ventura County.

Prison officials say Brasure kidnapped and tortured the former child actor, then set him on fire.

There are 731 individuals on death row in California, according to the state. Since 1978, 82 condemned inmates have died of natural causes, 27 have died by suicide and 15 have been executed, although two of those individuals were executed out of state.

Last modified November 14, 2019 5:10 pm

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