Martinez Dentention Facility. Photo by Harry H. on Foursquare
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
On Sunday, August 18, 2019, at about 11:20 PM, a Deputy Sheriff escorted a nurse to the cell of an inmate at the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF). They discovered the male inmate unresponsive on his bed.
Medical aid was immediately rendered. Additional medical staff at the jail responded and continued life saving measures until the fire department arrived.
The inmate was later pronounced deceased at the scene. He is identified as 35-year-old Benito Carrasco of Clayton.
He was arrested by the Clayton Police Department and booked into MDF on August 15, 2019. Carrasco was being held on charges that include burglary, grand theft, possession of stolen goods, possession of burglary tools, shoplifting, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held in lieu of $40,000 bail.
The in-custody death protocol was invoked. The investigation is ongoing by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff.
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