Mexican mafia member murdered in prison, RivCo inmate named as suspect

INLAND EMPIRE, CA – A Riverside County inmate is a suspect in the murder of a convicted inmate last week at Calipatria State Prison, authorities said.

Jorge D. Negrete-Larios, 33, is one of three inmates at the facility who allegedly attacked and killed 46-year-old Alberto Martinez, 46, about 1:23 p.m. on September 26.

According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, prison staff witnessed inmate Tyler A. Lua punch Martinez, knock him to the ground and continue hitting him.

Lua stepped away and inmates Negrete-Larios and Luis J. Beltran began attacking Martinez as he lay motionless on a prison property, CDCR officials said.

Jail staff stopped the fight by using pepper spray and a baton on the three suspects, CDCR said.

Two weapons made by prisoners were reportedly found at the scene of the attack.

Despite efforts to revive Martinez, he was pronounced dead about an hour after the alleged attack. He was last received from Orange County on August 17, 2010 and placed on death row for first-degree murder. He was also sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder, with an enhancement for street gang activity and two years for street gang activity, to be served concurrently with the sentenced sentence.

Negrete-Larios was booked into state prison from Riverside County on July 5, 2016, after being sentenced to 32 years and four months for attempted second-degree murder with enhancements for inflicting great bodily harm, discharge of a firearm and street gang activity on behalf of a violent crime.

Lua, 25, was booked into state prison from San Bernardino County on January 31, 2019, after being sentenced to 19 years for attempted manslaughter with an enhancement for use of a firearm. While in jail, he was sentenced by Imperial County to two years for having a controlled substance in the jail.

Beltran, 31, was booked into state prison from Los Angeles County on April 6, 2023, after being sentenced to life without parole for first-degree murder, with enhancements for intentionally discharging a firearm causing serious bodily injury/death, and possess/possess a firearm as a felon.

Lua, Negrete-Larios and Beltran were placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by the CAL Investigative Services Unit and the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office. The Imperial County Coroner will determine Martinez’s official cause of death.

According to CDCR, Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County houses approximately 2,638 minimum- and maximum-security inmates and employs approximately 1,200 people.