Indian American Death Row Inmate Found Dead in Cell

SAT QUENTIN, CA— An Indian American prisoner on death row was found unresponsive and alone in his cell on Sunday, November 4, in California.

According to report, Virendra (Victor) Govin, 51, was unresponsive at about 10:15 p.m. on Sunday while he was in custody at San Quentin State Prison in California. Though CPR was administered, the inmate died several minutes later, authorities are investigating his death as a suicide.

Govin was sentenced for committing four murders in Los Angeles County in December 2004 including Gita Kumar, 42; Plara Kumar, 18: Tulsi Kumar, 16; and Sitaben Patel, 63.

He also set the Kumars’ house on fire in 2002.

Govin arrived on death row in January of 2005 and his brother, Pravin, has been on death row since September of 2005.