Video has surfaced showing a California prison inmate being stabbed nearly 180 times during a deadly attack inside a state correctional facility.

Joseph Mendoza, 36, was killed April 8, 2025, inside Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad, California, when two inmates attacked him in a dayroom area using improvised weapons, according to prison officials and court filings.

The suspects were identified as inmates Edgar Frayre and Nicolas Young. Both were placed in restricted housing following the killing while the investigation continues.

Footage of the attack was later leaked outside the prison, showing the two inmates repeatedly stabbing Mendoza while others nearby did not immediately intervene. The origin of the recording remains unclear.

Mendoza’s family filed a federal lawsuit in December 2025, alleging correctional officers failed to act quickly enough to stop the assault or provide timely medical care.

According to the lawsuit, Mendoza had requested protective housing earlier in the year but remained in general population. His attorneys argue that failures by prison staff contributed to the killing.

Salinas Valley State Prison, which houses about 2,400 inmates, has recorded multiple homicides in recent years. State officials say the incident remains under investigation.