State and local authorities have opened a murder investigation after an Oahu Community Correctional Center inmate was found unresponsive in his cell Thursday night.

The state Department of Public Safety identified the inmate as 36-year-old Christopher Vaefaga. The Honolulu Police Department reported that Vae­faga “may have been assaulted by two other male inmates.”

The two suspects are ages 41 and 33, police said.

Police said officers responded to OCCC “on a defibrillator-type case for an unresponsive inmate” shortly after 8:40 p.m. DPS said OCCC security and medical staff had responded to a “medical backup call” and found Vaefaga unconscious and unresponsive in his housing unit.

Staff administered first aid and CPR until a medical examiner arrived and pronounced his death at 9:26 p.m. His exact cause of death is pending determination by the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office.

Vaefaga had been awaiting trial for second-degree assault and harassment.

His extensive rap sheet illustrates a troubled past, with nearly 90 entries beginning in 2004 for a myriad of charges, including assault, theft, harassment and criminal property damage. In September, October and February he pleaded no contest to separate charges for fourth-degree theft. In the February case he also pleaded no contest to a third-degree assault charge.

In January, Vaefaga was cited for having an unpermitted structure on the sidewalk in the Chinatown area, indicating he had experienced homelessness. Court records showed he had no local address at the time.

HPD said the state Department of the Attorney General has jurisdiction in the case. HPD’s Criminal Investigation Division- Homicide Detail and its Scientific Investigative Section assisted with the initial investigation.

No arrests had been made as of early this morning, police said.