SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Kelly Martinez is just 70 days into her new job as sheriff and there have already been two in-custody deaths in her department.
Martinez vowed Thursday that her homicide investigators would do a robust investigation into the death of Lonnie Newton Rupard, who was found dead last March at San Diego Central Jail.
Her promise comes a day after the medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.
“Homicide is a neutral term in the case of a cause of death so now what we’re doing with our homicide investigation is trying to identify if there’s criminal negligence involved and if anyone on my staff or anyone else is responsible,” Martinez said.
The Medical Examiner found that Rupard had pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration at the time of his death. He had also been infected with COVID.
The medical examiner’s homicide ruling hinges on a finding the people responsible for Rupard fell short in caring for his health while he was booked into their custody.
"Records document that care was made available to the decedent in the form of meals, continuous in-cell water supply, prescription medications to treat his psychiatric illness and medical evaluations; nevertheless, the ineffective delivery of that care ended with his death,” the autopsy report said.
"While elements of self-neglect were present, ultimately this decedent was dependent upon others for his care; therefore, the manner of death is classified as homicide."
Martinez was elected sheriff last November as the department grappled with the in-custody deaths of 19 people in its care.
The North County Equity Justice Coalition praised Martinez for taking immediate steps to reduce in-custody deaths.
The sheriff said she’s increased the access staff and inmates have to naloxone, which can be a lifesaving antidote used to reverse an opioid overdose.
But the coalition’s Yusef Miller called on the sheriff to go further and search deputies for drugs — something Martinez said she doesn’t make sense to do.
The sheriff’s department has been criticized in the past for not keeping toxic drugs out of its jails following the deaths of inmates.
“We don’t have the staff or the resources to screen everyone all of the time, so I have to funnel my resources to where the data is showing the drugs are coming in,” she said Friday.
Martinez said her department is doing a better job of screening inmates for drugs when they’re booked into custody. Part of the new strategy involves collecting urine to see if someone could be at risk of drug withdrawal when they’re brought into custody.
As for the probe into Rupard’s death, Martinez vowed to be fully transparent with the District Attorney's office.
Asked by ABC 10 News reporter Austin Grabish if it was problematic, the sheriff's department was investigating itself, she admitted it wasn’t ideal.
“There’s really no one else to do that work, to come into our facility and do that investigation.”
The North County Equity Justice Coalition is planning a rally outside the San Diego Central Jail Saturday at 10 a.m. in support of Rupard’s family who will be present.
