Note: This story was edited Aug. 3 to add the names of inmates who had not been identified at publication time.
A man awaiting trial for 22 months was found dead in San Bernardino’s Central Detention Center July 29.
The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department announced an investigation into Anthony Edward Ramirez Jr.’s death by hanging July 31.
Ramirez was arrested by the San Bernardino Police Department Sept. 21, 2021, for possession of a controlled substance while armed, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and unlawfully owning ammunition.
He was charged Sept. 28 with felony counts for carjacking, assault with a semi-automatic firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges came with six enhancements and four allegations, which would’ve increased the sentence if found true.
Ramirez pleaded not guilty to the charges at his initial arraignment Sept. 30, 2021, and again April 6, 2022.
Bail was set at $500,000, but the records do not show that Ramirez paid bail.
Between his initial Sept. 30, 2021 arraignment and his death, Ramirez saw 17 hearings, in which his court-appointed counsel and prosecutors were unable to come to a resolution. A jury trial was set for May 9, 2022, but was delayed.
His next hearing was scheduled for Aug. 9.
Ten deaths in eight months
The Sheriff’s Department has announced 10 inmate deaths since November.
Most recently, the department announced an inmate’s death June 17. Nicholas Rodriguez of Barstow was jailed after being charged with three felony counts related to sexual abuse of a child. Rodriguez had serious illnesses, and was transported to a hospital before his death, the sheriff’s department said.
Another death was reported at Rancho Cucamonga’s West Valley Detention Center June 4: Gorin Westin, age 53.. He was arrested June 3 for arson, and was waiting to be assigned to a final location. His cause of death is under investigation.
One West Valley Detention Center inmate, Marco Lopez-Hernandez, was charged May 21 with the murder of his cellmate, Adam Adams. He pleaded not guilty May 24. The case is set to trail his original charges of theft and resisting a police officer. That case is paused while the parties determine Lopez-Hernandez’ mental health.
Another West Valley Detention Center inmate was found hanging May 10. The inmate, Rory Beauregard, age 38, had been charged with robbery. An investigation is ongoing.
Inmate Jose Rodriguez contracted a fatal disease at West Valley Detention Center and died in hospital April 27. He had been arrested Feb. 13, on charges of spousal abuse.
West Valley Detention Center inmate Francisco Velez experienced a fatal unidentified medical emergency March 30. He had been arrested May 5, 2022, for assault with a deadly weapon. An investigation is ongoing.
Larry Wayne Morrison, 63, a West Valley Detention Center inmate, died at hospital due to a medical emergency March 19. He had been arrested in February 2021 for felony vandalism. An investigation is ongoing.
John Acevas of Victorville was found dead in the High Desert Detention Center Jan. 16. The cause of death is under investigation.
Kirk Seligman of Crestline died following a medical emergency that happened while he was being booked into the Central Detention Center Dec. 10. He had been arrested for disorderly conduct under the influence of alcohol. He spent 10 days in Arrowhead Regional Medical Center before his death. According to the coroner’s department, the primary cause of death was herpes simplex encephalitis over a period of days. He was also suffering from chronic alcohol abuse, hypertensive cardiovascular disease, and pneumonia as associated factors related to but not the cause of death.
Murder defendant Francisco Fraga-Menendez also died in custody Nov. 24. He had been arrested by Yucaipa law enforcement June 3, 2022. He spent several months at the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center’s jail ward.
Riverside deaths
Riverside County has seen 16 inmate deaths in the past year.
The family of Richard Matus, who died at 29 from an overdose in Murrieta’s Cois M. Byrd Detention Center Aug. 11, filed a federal lawsuit March 22.
Attorney Denisse Gastélum, who represents Matus’ family, said that the Riverside Sheriff’s Department fails to monitor county jails up to state regulations and allows drug dealing and homicide.
The family filed an amended complaint May 31.
Lisa Matus, Richard’s mother, said that jail should not result in death.
“It hit all of us, and it hit our heart, and I don’t know how someone can be so callous as to ignore human lives,” Lisa said.
Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into Riverside County’s jail practices. Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco called the attorney general’s investigation a political stunt based on false and misleading statements.
