55-year-old inmate dies after medical emergency in Sacramento County Main Jail
A 55-year-old man incarcerated at the Sacramento County Main Jail died Sunday after suffering a medical emergency, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Deputies discovered the man unresponsive in his cell on the jail’s medical floor around 5 p.m. and attempted life-saving measures with help from jail medical staff, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Sacramento Fire Department personnel responded, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
His identity has not been released, pending notification of family. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office will determine the official cause of death and was expected to release the man’s name.
At least 32 inmates have died in custody at a Sacramento County jail since 2021. The Sheriff’s Office said it would conduct a full inmate death investigation, as required by department procedures and state law under Assembly Bill 2761.
The circumstances are similar to an April incident in which a 32-year-old woman was found unresponsive in her cell and later died at a hospital. In that case, officials also cited a suspected medical emergency.
The Coroner’s Office identified the inmate as Katrina Yates, though the investigation into her death remains ongoing, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 8:27 AM.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated for the identification of an inmate who died in April.
