Kent Police are investigating the death of a 36-year-old man who experienced a medical emergency while in custody at the City of Kent Corrections Facility, days after his arrest on a Department of Corrections warrant and local charges.
This is the second in-custody death at the Kent Corrections Facility in recent weeks. A separate incident on April 22 resulted in the death of a female inmate who was found unresponsive in a holding cell.
Police said that on Sunday, May 11, 2025, patrol officers responded to a domestic dispute and were informed that one of the individuals involved had fled on foot. Officers located the man nearby and arrested him on a no-bail warrant for Escape from Community Custody, along with a local charge.
During the arrest, officers reported that the man attempted to swallow several baggies of powdered drugs. Officers intervened to prevent him from ingesting the substances, then transported him to Valley Medical Center for evaluation. He was medically cleared and taken to the Kent Corrections Facility for booking.
Two days later, on Tuesday, May 13 at approximately 10:41 p.m., a corrections officer alerted a police supervisor that the inmate was experiencing a medical emergency. Medics responded and performed CPR and other lifesaving efforts before transporting the man to a local hospital, where he was admitted to critical care. He died on May 15 while being treated.
Kent Police detectives are conducting a full investigation into the events leading up to the medical emergency, including reviewing facility video footage and interviewing staff and inmates.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause of death, as well as the identity of the victim.
