Authorities: Inmate strangled cellmate to death at San Diego Central Jail – The San Diego Union-Tribune

DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO — 

A man who sheriff’s officials say was killed Sunday night by his cellmate at the downtown San Diego Central Jail died by strangulation, the Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday, citing the preliminary results of an autopsy.

Sheriff’s officials continued to withhold the victim’s name Tuesday, saying homicide detectives and personnel from the Medical Examiner’s Office had been unable to locate the man’s family to notify them.

The victim’s cellmate, 32-year-old Steven Lee Young, was arrested on suspicion of murder, according to sheriff’s homicide Lt. Thomas Seiver. He’s expected to be arraigned on the charge Wednesday afternoon in San Diego Superior Court.

Jail and court records show Young was booked Aug. 18 into the downtown jail on suspicion of failing to register as a sex offender and violating the terms and conditions of his parole. After his cellmate’s death, Young was arrested and booked into jail again on suspicion of murder.

Court records showed Young was also charged last year with two counts of resisting a law enforcement officer, and may have prior convictions from 2019 in Imperial County for assault with intent to commit a felony and attempted rape by means of force, violence and fear.

Sheriff’s officials have not said what alleged crimes landed the victim in jail.