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San Quentin Prisoner Fatally Stabbed

SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (KCBS) _ A San Jose man, who is serving a life sentence in San Quentin for murder, is suspected of fatally stabbing a newly arrived fellow inmate.

The victim, 44-year-old Edward Schaefer, was sentenced two weeks ago for the DUI death of a 9-year-old Novato girl last May.

Schaefer arrived at San Quentin on July 16th to serve time for killing Melody Osheroff on his motorcycle and maiming her father.

He had had nine drunk driving convictions and was legally drunk at the time of the crash.

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San Quentin spokesman Lieutenant Sam Robinson said Schaefer was in the prison exercise yard around 10:35 Monday morning when he was attacked from behind.

"He utilized an inmate-manufactured weapon and stabbed Mr. Schaefer several times in the chest and neck area," said Robinson.

Schaefer died at Marin General Hospital. The suspect is 31-year-old Frank Souza, a homeless man who was convicted last year of killing a man and stealing his mountain bike in San Jose.

Aaron Osheroff, the father of 9-year-old Melody, said Schaefer should have spent decades in prison.

"I wasn't totally surprised about it actually, but we didn't think it would happen so quickly, or ever," said Osheroff. "I thought he would be in lockup, kept away from everybody else. He was in lockup at the Marin County Jail."

San Quentin officials said they nor Schaefer felt there was a need for protective custody.

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