Sustained self-inflicted head injuries at Martinez Detention Facility
By Jimmy Lee, PIO, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office are currently jointly investigating an in-custody death that occurred at the Martinez Detention Facility.
On Thursday, January 8, 2026, at about 5:38 AM, Contra Costa Health medical staff at MDF responded to a housing module for a report of head injuries that an inmate apparently sustained as a result of him purposely banging his head while housed in a cell. Minutes later, the fire department and an ambulance were called to transport the inmate to a local hospital.
At about 8:30 AM, the inmate was medically cleared at the hospital. He was uncooperative with deputy sheriffs while being transported back to MDF. While at MDF he was given medication by medical staff.
At about 5:48 PM, a deputy sheriff found the inmate unconscious inside his cell.
Jail medical staff responded while deputies performed CPR. The fire department and an ambulance also responded and later declared the inmate deceased. The countywide law enforcement involved fatal incident protocol was invoked.
The inmate is identified as 61-year-old Kirk Richardson of Concord. On December 31, 2025, Richardson was arrested by the Concord Police Department for murder of his parents. He was booked into MDF on two counts of murder and had been held since that time.
As previously reported, on Dec. 31, 2025, at approximately 7:00 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call reporting a family disturbance in the 3900 block of Walnut Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located two individuals, a 90-year-old man and an 85-year-old woman, who were deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. Richards on was at the residence was detained and subsequently arrested in connection with the incident.
He was arraigned on Wednesday and had another court date set for Thursday afternoon. The five-foot, ten-inch tall, 200-pound Richardson was being held on $4 million bail.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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