Two San Diego County prisoners accused of killing another man in Northern California prison

Two San Diego County men — one who was convicted of murder and the other of attempted murder — have been accused of killing another man in a Northern California prison last week.

Zachary Harris, 36, and John Patch, 30, are suspected of using two inmate-manufactured weapons to stab Scott Cook, 49, multiple times around 9:30 a.m. Friday at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, according to state corrections officials.

Staff at the prison found Cook and transported him to the triage and treatment unit, officials said. He died just before 10 a.m.

Harris and Patch were both moved to a restricted housing unit pending the investigation.

Cook had been sent to the state prison from San Bernardino County in November 2000. He had been sentenced to life without parole for murder, carjacking, kidnapping and grand theft with use of a firearm enhancement.

Cook had also received another 16 years in Kern County on several other allegations while in prison, including assault by a prisoner with a deadly weapon.

Harris had arrived at the state prison in July 2021 from San Diego County after being sentenced to nearly 25 years for attempted murder and firearm charges.

Harris had also been sentenced to 11 years for prison-related offenses in Kern County.

Patch arrived at the prison in December 2022 and was sentenced to life with parole for murder and assault charges.

This story originally appeared in San Diego Union-Tribune .