Fourth San Quentin death row inmate dies of Covid-19

A death row inmate at San Quentin prison died Saturday from complications related to Covid-19, the fourth such death reported by prison officials since late June.

Dewayne Michael Carey, 59, was pronounced dead Saturday at a hospital outside the prison. An exact cause of death has not yet been determined, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said.

Carey had been on death row since 1996 for first-degree murder in Los Angeles County.

Two San Quentin Prison death row inmates died Friday from what appear to be complications related to the Covid-19 coronavirus, state prison officials said.

Scott Thomas Erskine, 57, had been on California’s death row since 2004, and Manuel Machado Alvarez, 59, had been on death row since 1989. Both died on July 3 at outside hospitals.

Another death row inmate at San Quentin, Richard Stitely, 71, died June 24 of Covid-19.

The cause of death for a fifth condemned man, Joseph S. Cordova, 75, has not yet been determined.

As of Saturday, the CDCR had reported 1,408 Covid-19 cases among inmates at San Quentin, and 124 among staff.

Open SFBay Bay Area coronavirus dashboard in new window.

Criminal justice advocates have pointed to a recent transfer of inmates from the California Institution for Men in Southern California as an inflection point for the virus’ spread at San Quentin.