San Quentin inmate found unconscious, pronounced dead
SAN QUENTIN, Calif. -- Officials found a condemned inmate unconscious in his jail cell, they later pronounced him dead on Thursday.
Spencer Brasure, 49, was found unresponsive in his San Quentin State Prison cell on Thursday around 12:49 a.m.
He was pronounced dead at 1:17 a.m.
Brasure had been on California's death row since August 29, 1988.
His death is pending the results of an autopsy.
Ventura County jury sentenced Brasure to death on August 24, 1988 for first degree murder.
Brasure was found guilty for the kidnap and torture of 20-year-old Anthony Guest before setting him on fire and killing him.
Guest was a former child actor.
Since 1978, when California reinstated capital punishment:
- 82 condemned inmate have died from natural causes
- 27 have committed suicide
- 13 have been executed in California, one was executed in Missouri, one was executed in Virginia
- 14 have died from other causes and three, including Brasure, are pending on cause of death.
There are currently 731 offenders on California's death row.
