Thursday, October 1, 2026
WENATCHEE — An incarcerated man was found unresponsive early April 26 at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center and later pronounced dead, according to jail officials.
Correctional deputies discovered the 53-year-old man at about 5:30 a.m. while preparing to serve breakfast in a general population cell. Staff immediately began life-saving efforts, which were continued by Wenatchee Valley Fire Department and Ballard Ambulance crews after they arrived.
The man was pronounced dead at 5:46 a.m.
His body has been turned over to the Chelan County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death.
The Wenatchee Police Department is overseeing a review of the incident. The man’s name has not yet been released pending notification of family members.
The death comes after two in-custody deaths at the facility in less than three months in 2021 that later led to a two-year span of settlements totaling nearly $6 million.
Blair Austin Nelson, 42, died on Nov. 21, 2021, roughly 15 hours after a DUI arrest. A lawsuit filed by her family alleged she suffered from severe alcohol withdrawal that went untreated and was left unchecked in an isolation cell for several hours. The case was settled in May 2024 for $2.5 million.
Joseph A. Verville, 38, died on Sept. 7, 2021, after being booked on an outstanding warrant. A separate lawsuit alleged jail staff failed to conduct proper health checks. That case was settled in 2025 for $3.25 million.
Together, the cases have drawn sustained attention to medical care and oversight inside the Chelan County Regional Justice Center.
Jail Director Chris Sharp said staff treat any in-custody death with seriousness and emphasized the department’s responsibility for those housed at the facility.
“When someone passes away in our facility, we take it very seriously because of our commitment to the role we play in our community’s safety,” Sharp said.
Staff involved in the response have been offered peer support, and similar support has been made available to others housed in the same cell, according to the jail.
Further details are expected following the coroner’s findings.
Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media
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