Gruesome Prison Stabbing Death Sparks Lawsuit and Outrage Over Leaked Video

Soledad, Calif. – February 12, 2026 – The family of Joseph Mendoza, a 36-year-old inmate brutally stabbed nearly 180 times at Salinas Valley State Prison last April, has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), alleging “deliberate indifference” by correctional officers who stood by during the attack. Adding to the horror, a graphic video of the killing was captured inside the prison and leaked online, going viral on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, where it garnered thousands of views and likes.

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Merced man stabbed nearly 180 times in prison; family files civil rights lawsuit

Mendoza, from Merced, California, was serving a 26-year sentence for robbery, attempted murder, manufacturing a deadly weapon, and battery on a non-prisoner since 2009. Identified by his lawyers as a Norteño gang member, he had been found with drugs in the prison. According to the lawsuit filed in December 2025 in U.S. District Court in Northern California, Mendoza requested protective housing in January 2025 after being caught with a “substantial” amount of contraband. Instead, prison staff allegedly disclosed this information to other inmates, branding him as an informant and making him a target, in violation of CDCR confidentiality protocols.

Three months later, on April 8, 2025, Mendoza was attacked in the day room of Facility C by fellow inmates Edgar Frayre and Nicolas Young, also identified as Norteños. The lawsuit claims the assailants showed prior hostility toward Mendoza. An edited version of the video provided by Mendoza’s attorneys shows two men kneeling over him, repeatedly driving a shank into his back. The graphic footage captures the sounds of the weapon penetrating and being withdrawn, with Mendoza sustaining nearly 180 stab wounds. Officers, armed and trained to intervene, allegedly watched without stopping the assault or immediately calling for medical aid.

cdcr.ca.gov

Salinas Valley State Prison investigating riot

Civil rights attorneys Bryan Harrison, Stephen King, Adante Pointer, and Patrick Buelna, representing Mendoza’s estranged wife Celina, his parents Zina Kumetat and Ismael Mendoza, and his siblings, held a news conference on Wednesday to discuss the suit. “We know that this is an inside job,” Pointer stated, referring to the video leak. “And it’s someone who sent it out to others.” He called for the firing of all involved officers, noting the family’s shock at discovering the video online three months after the death. “The true stab in the back is when you discover your loved one dying on social media after the world already knows,” the lawyers said in a statement.

The video appears to have been recorded from closed-circuit television using a cell phone, possibly by staff. In 2023, Salinas Valley piloted a program allowing employees to use personal devices on duty. The leak violates a 2020 California law prohibiting first responders from sharing footage of deceased victims, enacted after similar incidents involving Kobe Bryant’s crash photos. CDCR officials have not commented on who recorded or shared the video, nor on any disciplinary actions.

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2 inmates suspected of homicide inside Salinas Valley State Prison

Frayre, 36, was serving a 50-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter, while Young, 29, was incarcerated for 36 years on attempted murder charges, including an in-prison attempt. Following the attack, CDCR placed them in restricted housing and initiated an investigation. A press release on the day of the incident described it as an “inmate-on-inmate homicide” and claimed medical aid was provided, though Mendoza died from his injuries. This was one of 16 in-custody deaths at the prison in 2025, including six homicides in about a year at the facility housing around 2,400 inmates.

In court filings, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Deputy Attorney General Paul Kozina denied all allegations, including negligence, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress. The lawyers highlighted a “drastic increase” in prison homicides, urging that “this inmate-on-inmate homicide situation must be stopped.”

The Mendoza family learned of the video’s graphic details through social media, compounding their trauma. Pointer emphasized the need for accountability: “No one deserves to die such a violent, painful, and gruesome death. Nor should any family have to suffer from seeing a ‘trophy’ video or picture of their loved one’s death being made public due to law enforcement officers violating their oath and the law for entertainment purposes.”

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Man stabbed in California prison nearly 180 times, video of his death leaked | KTVU FOX 2

The case underscores ongoing issues in California’s prison system, including violence, staff conduct, and victim privacy. As the lawsuit proceeds, advocates call for reforms to prevent such tragedies and leaks. Salinas Valley State Prison, known for its maximum-security units, continues to face scrutiny amid rising in-custody deaths.

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Merced man stabbed nearly 180 times in prison; family files civil rights lawsuit