Officials: Santa Rosa man involved in fatal prison fight with inmate

State are officials investigating a fatal prison fight involving six inmates, including a Santa Rosa man who was convicted of shooting two people in October 2022.

Marcell Leroy Battiest participated in the fight Aug. 22 in a dayroom at California State Prison, Sacramento, officials said late last month.

He was incarcerated after a Sonoma County judge sentenced him in December to 65 years to life for the Oct. 28, 2022 shooting and a February 2021 armed robbery.

Officials did not release details on Battiest's exact involvement in last months fight.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reported it happened about 3 pm Aug. 22.

Darryl Hudson, a 40-year-old serving a life sentence for a murder in Contra Costa County, was killed.

Prison officials say he was struck several times by Darryn Mayberry, a 30-year-old incarcerated for robbery in Fresno County.

Emergency medical personnel transported Hudson to an outside medical facility and he was pronounced dead 6:11 pm Aug. 23. His death is being investigated as a homicide.

The other inmates involved in the fight were identified as Robert Keller, 38; Tray Watson, 58; and Otis Wyatt, 27. Each are serving prison terms for various crimes in multiple counties.

SAC Investigative Services Unit and the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office are investigating the death.

Battiest was sentenced last year for a shooting at Mission Boulevard and Quigg Drive in Santa Rosa. The armed robbery was near Laurel and Olive streets.

Battiest was out on bail for the robbery when the shooting occurred, officials said.

In the shooting, Battiest and a co-defendant, Valerie Saenz, arranged a marijuana purchase with one of Saenz's childhood friends and planned to rob him.

Saenz rendezvoused in a parking lot with Sergio Mora-Morfin, who had 30 pounds of marijuana and was accompanied by a friend, Juan Garcia-Polvos.

Battiest arrived separately and opened fire, twice shooting Garcia-Polvos in his back. Mora-Morfin got into his car to flee but was shot in his neck at close range.

Saenz and Battiest drove away and threw the weapon into the street. Police arrested on two Nov. 2, 2022, during a traffic stop at West Steele and Coffey lanes in Santa Rosa.

Both victims survived and testified in Battiest's trial.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at [email protected]. On Twitter @colin_atagi