January 13, 2023 - DELANO – Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) officials are investigating the death of Louis J. Bachicha as a homicide after he was attacked by three other incarcerated persons on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023.

At approximately 6:29 p.m., officers responded when incarcerated persons Victor M. Madero, Ricardo Nava and Edgar A. Castillo were attacking Bachicha in a dayroom. Staff quickly quelled the incident.

Bachicha, 34, was taken to the prison’s triage and treatment area for injuries he sustained from the attack and KVSP staff summoned an ambulance. He was pronounced deceased at 7:00 p.m. Officers recovered two inmate-manufactured weapons.

Officials have limited movement on the yard where the attack occurred to facilitate the investigation being conducted by KVSP’s Investigative Services Unit, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office and the Kern County Coroner. The Office of the Inspector General was notified and the Kern County Coroner will determine Bachicha’s official cause of death.

Louis J. Bachicha was admitted to CDCR on April 14, 2009 from Los Angeles County to serve life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder with the intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death, use of a firearm, discharge of a firearm and committing a street gang act during a felony.

Victor Madero, 45, was most recently admitted to CDCR on March 1, 2010 from Los Angeles County to serve life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder with the discharge of a firearm and discharge of a firearm while inhabiting a dwelling, vehicle or aircraft.

Ricardo Nava, 35, was admitted to CDCR on Aug. 4, 2011 from Los Angeles County to serve life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder with the intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death, the use of a firearm and the discharge of a firearm. On Aug. 9, 2019, Nava received an additional two years and eight months for manufacture of a deadly weapon as a second-striker, an in-prison offense.

Edgar A. Castillo, 35, was admitted to CDCR on Sept. 9, 2009 from Los Angeles County to serve life with the possibility of parole for carjacking while armed with a firearm and with the use of a firearm as well as second-degree robbery while armed with a firearm.

KVSP opened in 2005 and houses 2,415 minimum-, medium-, and high-security custody inmates. KVSP offers academic classes and vocational programs and employs approximately 1,500 people.


Source: CDCR