Tue. Oct 8th, 2024

SANTA ANA, Ca. (December 3, 2021) – On Thursday, December 2, 2021, an inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange died of a suspected suicide.

The inmate was booked into jail on November 30, 2021 on a domestic violence related charge.

Yesterday afternoon, he was found unresponsive in his cell. Deputies and corrections medical staff attempted life-saving measures. The inmate was pronounced deceased by paramedics at the Theo Lacy Facility at approximately 4:15 p.m. Preliminarily, there are no suspicious circumstances.

The decedent was identified as Roddy Giacomini Jr., 44, of San Juan Capistrano.

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.



author avatar
Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

15 thoughts on “An inmate at Theo Lacy died of a suspected suicide”
    1. So sorry for loss of Roddy. Does not sound like something Roddy would do. Hope his Family conducts their own investigation…and obtains Coroners report and a high profile Attorney….RIP…Roddy..

    1. Hope Roddys Family conducts their own investigation…beginning with a Coroners report and Lawyer. Hope the OC District Attorney’s investigation and it’s findings are made public. Does not sound like Roddy would take his own life. Keep the thread going….

  1. Not the Roddy I know. Hope his Family further investigates the conduct and on going investigation that will be conducted by OC District Attorney. Sounds like Family should hire an Attorney ASAP. In jail Nov.3 and found dead 72 hours Later? Hope Coroners report is available to the Family. Rest in Peace Roddy.

    1. What sounds fishy? The fact that he committed suicide or the fact that he was arrested a few days prior for domestic violence?

      I’m assuming since he was still in custody several days later, that charges were filed.

      Editor, any way you can provide an update as to specifics on the domestic violence charge?

      1. The comments posted by friends and loved ones are valid and come from people who knew and respected him.
        Your assumptions and stereotypical ignorance of a false accusation is telling as to what kind of person you are; A noisy, judgemental jerk.

        RIP brother

  2. NOT OIN A MILLION YEARS WOULD RODDY TAKE HIS OWN LIFE… BESIDES ITS JUST NOT POSSIBLE … WHO WAS THE OFFICER THAT WAS ON WATCH?? YEAH THIS IS HOG WASH I SMELL SOMETHING REAL FOWL!!

  3. I also had a friend who was arrested in july and a week later in august he was found dead in his cell supposedly of suicide at theo lacy jail, and i know he would have never committed suicide, so i hope someone can actually get some answers, though knowing the oc sherriffs dept,. i doubt anyone ever will….they investigate themselves, its not a mystery why they never find any wrongdoing

  4. how many people are they going to let be murdered in the OC jails….. it doesnt seem a bit suspicious how many inmates have died of overdoses or suicide this year at theo lacy? They always find them in the cell unresponsive with no idea what happened?? Its like there is a serial killer/killers being employed by the sherriffs dept. that work at theo lacy, and because of there stupid code, they will go to the ends of the earth to cover up any wrongdoing.

  5. hopefully one of them (sheriff dept. officers) will decide to do the right thing and have some courage and become a whistleblower, anything short of that , the killings of inmates at OC jails will continue to go un checked.

    And while most people relate the word inmate with worthless, these men and women are still peoples sons and daughters , mothers and fathers, friends and relatives, ….people make mistakes, mistakes dont make people evil or worthless, there is a good chance just about everyone in california either know somone or is related to someone who has been or is currently in jail.

  6. Agreed, I knew Roddy very well, like a brother and no way would he have gone out like this, he loved his kids more than anything and that alone would have kept him going. I love you Roddy, the truth will be sought brother, know that. I hope wherever you are that you are at peace and jamming on guitar to black metal. Just know you are missed greatly.

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