DELANO, Calif. — A deadly altercation inside Kern Valley State Prison in Delano has prompted a homicide investigation, officials from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced Wednesday.
On May 21, 2025, at approximately 1:41 p.m., incarcerated persons William A. Nesler III and Edward R. Holden III allegedly attacked fellow inmate Timothy Whelan, the CDCR stated.
Prison staff responded quickly, attempting to stop the assault with verbal commands and chemical agents, according to the department.
Whelan, 56, was transported to prison’s medical center where he was pronounced dead by medical personnel at 2:12 p.m.
Authorities reported injuries consistent with an improvised weapon, and two such weapons were recovered at the scene, the department added.
No staff or other incarcerated individuals were injured during the incident.
Whelan, originally from Los Angeles County, had been serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder since July 2007.
His criminal record also included firearm offenses and multiple in-prison convictions from Imperial and Kern counties.
Nesler, 43, was received from Tuolumne County in 2005, serving life with parole for first-degree murder. His in-prison offenses span Sacramento and Del Norte counties, including a 2019 conviction for assault with a deadly weapon and an enhancement for a prior serious felony.
Holden, 35, arrived from Solano County and was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder with firearm-related enhancements. His criminal record includes illegal firearm possession.
Following the incident, both Nesler and Holden were moved to restricted housing pending the outcome of the investigation.
Prison officials have implemented limited population movement to aid the inquiry.
The Kern Valley State Prison Investigative Services Unit is leading the investigation, in collaboration with the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. The Office of the Inspector General has been notified, and the Kern County Coroner will determine the official cause of Whelan’s death.
