Pedophile's Prison Killing: Investigation Turns To Violent Cellmate From IE

CALIFORNIA — A man convicted of sexual violence against children was killed in a state prison last week, and an inmate from the Inland Empire is suspected in the slaying.

Justin P. Welsh, 36, is being investigated as the man behind the death of 48-year-old Robert E. Cole. Both men shared a cell at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, Calif.

According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, at approximately 6:30 a.m. Friday, officers spotted Cole unresponsive in his cell. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead less than 15 minutes later.

Cole was serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for numerous sex crimes against underage male relatives, including sex/sodomy with a child 10 years old or younger, oral copulation/penetration with a child 10 years of younger, lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old, oral copulation with force/violence/fear with a child under 14 years old, oral copulation with an unconscious victim, attempted sodomy with a victim under 18 years old, and attempted oral copulation with a victim under 16 years old.

After a jury in Placer County, Calif., found him guilty, Cole was transferred to Mule Creek State Prison on Aug. 8, 2019.

Welsh was sent to the same facility on May 19, 2023. He was sentenced in San Bernardino County to 18 years behind bars after he was found guilty of corporal injury on a person within seven years of a prior conviction and assault with a firearm, and other second-strike offenses, with enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury involving domestic violence and prior felony conviction of a serious offense.

CDCR officials have not commented on how Cole died but said the death was being investigated as a homicide. The state agency said the Amador County Coroner will determine Cole’s official cause of death. A possible motive for the alleged slaying was not released.

Mule Creek State Prison houses more than 3,800 minimum-, medium-, and maximum-security inmates.