Six more recent deaths in law enforcement custody come to light

File photo: The Marion County Jail is shown in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, July 6, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

The “Gazette” has obtained records for six more people who have died in the custody of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in recent months, bringing the total to 29 deaths within the past five years, according to records provided by law enforcement.

As previously reported, the “Gazette” requested all reports for deaths in custody filed by MCSO to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. MCSO has provided documentation of 29 deaths from January 2020 until the present, 28 of which were reported to the state in accordance with federal law.

The Death in Custody Reporting Act, passed by Congress in 2000, requires all states to report “information regarding the death of any person who is under arrest, is en route to be incarcerated, or is incarcerated at a municipal or county jail, state prison, or other local or state correctional facility, including any juvenile facility.”

The law has since been expanded to require the law enforcement agency that had custody of the person to report the death.

Six additional deaths occurred since the “Gazette” last received death in custody reports in October of last year. The request was made on Sept. 27, 2024, so the 23 internal reports received spanned from 2020 until that date.

Additionally, one inmate’s death was not reported to FDLE—Corey Merchant, who died in custody after an altercation with another inmate in the Gulf Pod of the jail.

Merchant’s family sued MCSO, including Sheriff Billy Woods, Deputy Justin Kosinski, Deputy Joseph Miller and Sgt. Jerome Dukes, in 2023 for wrongful death, claiming Merchant’s death could have been prevented.

MCSO claimed that Merchant was not in custody at the time of his death, therefore no DCRA report was filed to the state. MCSO did, however, previously provide an internal report of Merchant’s death when the “Gazette” asked for all incident reports for inmates who have died in the Marion County Jail.

New deaths in custody:

Jacob Oakie died in the custody of MCSO on July 28, 2024. Oakie’s cause of death was determined to be of natural causes, after falling ill while in custody at the jail. He died at AdventHealth Ocala hospital.

“An investigation into the incident revealed that the inmate had been receiving treatment in the infirmary for an altered mental state. A decision was made by medical staff to transport him to a local hospital by ambulance for further treatment. The inmate ultimately was removed from life support at the request of his family. The cause of death was determined to be natural, caused by Pneumococcal Meningitis,” according to his DCRA report.

Oakie’s death occurred within the time frame that the “Gazette” requested records for deaths in custody but MCSO did not provide an incident report for Oakie when the records were provided in October.

Upon asking why the agency did not originally disclose Oakie’s death, an MCSO records specialist told the “Gazette” that they were “not sure” why it was not provided with the original records.

Juan Miranda-Valentin died in the custody of MCSO on Oct. 3, 2024. Miranda-Valentin was being treated in the infirmary wing of the Marion County Jail before being transported to AdventHealth Ocala hospital, where he later died.

“An investigation into the incident revealed that the inmate had been receiving treatment in the infirmary for stomach pain and vomiting (alcohol withdrawal). A decision was made by medical staff to transport him to a local hospital by ambulance for further treatment. The inmate ultimately suffered cardiac arrest, and the cause of death was determined to be natural,” according to his DCRA report.

Miranda-Valentin’s death occurred after the date of the “Gazette’s” request for death in custody reports, thus it was not provided in late October with the 23 previous deaths from the past five years.

Raul Zamora died in the custody of MCSO on Nov. 16, 2024. His cause of death could not initially be determined, and an investigation was opened.

The internal investigation found that Zamora had a medical episode after using the showers. He suffered from COPD emphysema and was dependent on oxygen, which he removed to shower. After Zamora was transported back to the infirmary, shortly after he was found unresponsive and staff performed CPR. He was then transported to AdventHealth Ocala, where he was pronounced dead.

Paul Zittle died in the custody of MCSO on Nov. 27, 2024. Zittle died at the Ted & Diane Brandley House, a hospice facility, from a medical condition, according to his DCRA report.

Jamar Calloway died in the custody of MCSO on Nov. 30, 2024. Calloway died at the HCA Florida Ocala Hospital shortly after being taken into custody and was never housed at the jail.

“An investigation into the incident revealed the inmate attempted suicide with a firearm while the Ocala Police Department attempted to arrest him. The Marion County Jail assumed custody of the inmate while on life support at the hospital. The inmate died from his injury a short time later without ever being housed at the jail,” according to his DCRA report.

Raymond Burroughs died in the custody of MCSO on Dec. 23, 2024. Burroughs died at AdventHealth Ocala hospital. His cause of death was determined to be of natural causes, due to a “gastrointestinal issue,” according to his DCRA report.