BOISE (Idaho Statesman) The 38-year-old inmate from Idaho who was killed at a private jail in Arizona has been recognized by authorities.
Christopher Pendleton, who was being held at Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, was recognized by the Eloy Police Department in a press release. The Idaho Department of Corrections reports that he passed away on Wednesday following potentially fatal injuries. According to a statement from the prison’s owner, CoreCivic, the man was slain in an attack by other inmates.
RELATED | IDOC reports that an Idaho man incarcerated in a private Arizona jail died following an assault.
According to CoreCivic spokesperson Ryan Gustin, correctional officials discovered Pendleton around 9:37 a.m. Mountain time and started lifesaving procedures right away, with medical personnel and first responders eventually taking control. An hour or so later, he was declared deceased.
SCC personnel started crime scene protocols, and our IDOC partners were promptly informed. Gustin noted that the investigation was being handled by the Eloy Police Department.
Sgt. Violet Maestas of Eloy Police stated that the case is still being investigated.
According to court documents, Pendleton was just under two years into a minimum 18-year prison sentence after being found guilty of multiple charges including the sexual abuse of a juvenile.
The Saguaro Correctional Center is housing hundreds of prisoners, including him. Due to congestion, IDOC signed a deal with Saguaro Correctional Center in 2020. The contract states that CoreCivic will get $28.7 million annually to accommodate up to 1,200 inmates from Idaho. According to an IDOC study, Saguaro housed little over 400 males in June 2023.
The almost 2,000-person prison also houses men from Montana and Hawaii.
For many years, the Saguaro Correctional Center has been beset with grievances and accusations. According to the Honolulu Civil Beat, the ACLU of Hawaii demanded a federal probe of the prison in 2024 after one of the inmates was stabbed and another was slain. According to the news site, six Hawaiian inmates were accused this month with the May 2024 murder of another inmate, five of whom were charged with first-degree murder.
