Printer-friendly version
East County News Service
October 4, 2025 (San Diego) — A 55-year-old man arrested Sept. 29 for public intoxication was found unresponsive at 11:55 p.m. on Oct. 1 in a holding cell at the San Diego Central Jail and later died. He was alone in the cell.
Deputies called 911, requested additional help from the facility’s medical staff and began life-saving measures. Paramedics and fire personnel arrived and also tried to save the man’s life. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. on Oct. 2.
He is the ninth person to die in the Sheriff’s custody this year and the third to die within two days of being arrested. The department has drawn scrutiny for the high number of jail deaths under former Sheriff Bill Gore and current Sheriff Kelly Martinez, despite an increase in medical staffing at jails on Martinez’s watch.
His identity has not yet been released pending notification of his family.
“The San Diego Sheriff's Office extends our sympathies to the decedent's family and all those affected by his passing. A Sheriff's Family Liaison Officer will support the family as they navigate through this difficult time,” says Lieutenant Juan Marquez.
The Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) has been notified regarding the incident. As is the protocol for all in-custody deaths, the Sheriff's Homicide Unit responded and is conducting a thorough investigation to ensure all aspects of this incident are examined.
The cause and manner of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner's Office.
Recent comments