An inmate at California's Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla died Tuesday morning in an apparent homicide involving another female prisoner, officials said. It was the first inmate homicide in a California women's prison, according to recently released reports.

The victim, 30, was pronounced dead at 10:02 a.m. following a confrontation with the 29-year-old suspect that began an hour earlier in the prison's security housing unit, said Terry Thornton, spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections.

Thornton would not provide further details, however he did say the event was “distressing” and that officials would search for details. The two women, both convicted in San Bernardino County, were placed in the Central California maximum-security unit after committing crimes at other prisons.