ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A 21-year-old man serving a thirty day sentence for a drunken driving charge died Friday night while inside the Ross County Jail.
Malcolm Willis was pronounced dead by paramedics just before 10 p.m. after emergency crews were called to the lockup.
Initial reports said that the call went out as an inmate who allegedly attempted suicide by hanging. When medics arrived, they found Willis deceased. His body was transported to Montgomery County for an autopsy.
Willis’ family told the Guardian that they were watching the live news report as the story broke while the ambulance left the jail, but they were not informed that it was their loved one for over four hours.
Willis had been in the jail for less than a day after being transported from Franklin County where he had been held on a warrant for the drunken driving charge, his family said. While incarcerated in Columbus, Willis’ family said he was abused, harassed, and had his food stolen by other inmates while he waited several days for Ross County to make pickup.
On Thursday, Willis’ family contacted the NAACP, who made calls to expedite the extradition. Within hours, his family said the Sheriff was there to get him.
According to Willis’ grandmother, she had spoken to her grandson just hours before he was found dead. During their telephone call they said their prayers, she said, and that Willis was looking forward to a “good night’s sleep” and having food for the first time in several days. She doubted his death was the result of suicide. She said he was in good spirits and was looking forward to serving his time and coming home. The grandmother has called for an investigation.
Willis is just the latest person to reportedly die in the county jail in recent months. Last year, Scott Coldren was serving a thirty day sentence and reportedly hung himself. His family sued the Sheriff and settled outside of court after it was revealed correction officers ignored his cries for help.
Nearly a dozen other inmates within the jail have died from various causes in the last 36 months, including reported overdoses, alleged falls from bunk beds, and more.
The Sheriff of Ross County did not return a request for comment.