Inmate accused of killing another man in Donovan prison fight

A 32-year-old man is accused of mortally wounding another inmate during a fight between the two at Donovan prison near Otay Mesa over the weekend, state officials said.

Aikane Matias is accused of killing Jerry Elliott, 43, after prison staff at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility responded to a report of a fight on Saturday and found Elliott unresponsive in a cell, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials said. Investigators said Matias was also in the cell at the time, and he was removed by officers.

Prison staff began performing life-saving measures on Elliott, who was then taken to a hospital, state officials said. He was pronounced dead Thursday at 4:25 a.m.

No staff or other incarcerated people were injured during the fight, officials said. Investigators said no weapon was used in the incident.

Matias was placed in restricted housing following the fight, investigators said. He will be kept in the higher-security area while the prison’s investigative services unit and District Attorney’s Office review the incident.

Elliott was most recently received from Riverside County in July of last year. He was serving 34 years for evading a peace officer causing death, with enhancements of being armed with a firearm and inflicting great bodily injury. He was also sentenced for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and for buying or receiving a stolen vehicle, among other charges.

Matias was most recently received from Fresno County in November and was serving eight years for first-degree burglary.