On Oct 1, Sheriff Eric Taylor confirmed with BenitoLink that a suicide had occurred in the San Benito County jail.
According to Taylor, on October 1, 2022, around 8:11 a.m., an inmate (male, 27), who was alone in his cell, was discovered hanging from a bedsheet.
Taylor said medics responded and pronounced him deceased a short time later.
The sheriff’s office has provided chaplain services for staff and inmates and has called investigators from the district attorney’s office to do an independent investigation.
Taylor explained that, as with all suicide situations, the sheriff’s office will not be releasing the name of the decedent. He said the family has been notified.
In July 2022, BenitoLink reported on a new early warning system called Verus the San Benito County jail was using in an effort to reduce the chance of suicides. In that report Sheriff Eric Taylor said there have been no suicides in the 28 years the jail has operated, and there have been eight attempts since 2009.