SANTA ANA, Ca. (July 22, 2020) – At approximately 5:15 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, an inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange was pronounced deceased at a local hospital.

The 73-year-old inmate was transferred to the hospital on May 25, 2020 due to an illness.

The inmate was booked into custody by the Newport Beach Police Department on March 11, 2019 for murder and child molestation charges.

Preliminarily, there are no suspicious circumstances and no signs of trauma to the decedent. The inmate was not exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19.

Per protocol, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the in-custody death. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an in-custody death review. No additional information will be released at this time.