Sheriff currently investigating fourth death of a prison inmate in Leon County
Another Leon County Jail inmate has died, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office announced Sunday. It is the fourth death in about three months.
According to Shonda Knight, spokeswoman for Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, detention center officials found 40-year-old Richard Robart hanged in his cell around 6 p.m. Saturday.
Staff “immediately initiated life-saving measures and contacted emergency services. Robart was transported to a local hospital. His death was unfortunately pronounced around 2 p.m. today,” Knight wrote in a statement to the media.
She added: “The Leon County Sheriff’s Office is following standard protocol for deaths in custody and is conducting an investigation. The medical examiner’s office will perform an autopsy to determine cause and manner of death.”
According to court records, Robart was in prison for a recent probation violation related to a previous 2022 charge of burglary of an occupied dwelling. This month, a judge appointed an expert to assess his competency to stand trial and scheduled a “mental health hearing” for August.
The files also show that a psychological report had been submitted to the court, but it could not be viewed on Sunday.
According to earlier reporting by the Democrats, four Leon County jail inmates have died since April:
∎ Rachel Reeve, 43, was taken to jail earlier this month “after being medically evaluated by a local hospital,” according to an agency news release at the time. She was found unconscious in her cell and later died.
Reeve was arrested on outstanding warrants for inhaling or ingesting a substance harmful to health and failure to appear in court for possession of a controlled substance. She was placed under surveillance after she “made threats to harm herself,” the LCSO said.
More: Leon County Sheriff’s Office investigates death in detention facility
∎ Three days later, John Russo, 26, was also “found unresponsive in his cell,” according to the LCSO. Knight said he was alone in the cell but declined to provide further details, including whether there were any signs of suicide.
More: Leon County correctional officer finds ‘unresponsive’ inmate, second death in three days
∎ In May, Taurean Clark, 36, died a day after being admitted to a local hospital. Clark was being held on several charges, including drug trafficking.
More: The Leon County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the third death of a prison inmate in two months
News Director Jim Rosica can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X: @JimRosicaFL.
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