Inmate death at Redwood City jail from possible drug overdose investigated as a homicide
By Carlos E. Castañeda
The death of an inmate at a Redwood City jail from an apparent drug overdose is being investigated as a homicide, and a second inmate is in custody as a suspect, authorities said Tuesday.
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that on Sept. 29 at about 6 a.m., an inmate at the Maple Street Correctional Center began experiencing a medical emergency at a housing unit, and jail staffers began lifesaving measures until medical staff arrived, including administering naloxone, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Despite the efforts, 31-year-old Markeisha Monique Renee Blount was pronounced dead at the facility. The investigation determined that a suspect in custody at the jail brought drugs into the facility, which are believed to have contained fentanyl, and provided those drugs to Blount, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Maple Street facility houses minimum-security female and male inmates for both pretrial and court-sentenced inmates, and offers transitional housing and work furlough programs.
The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Ashley “Ashly” J. Gromnicki, who had been in custody on charges related to narcotics and theft. Gromnicki remains in custody on drug charges and bringing contraband into the jail while the District Attorney’s Office reviews the case for a potential murder charge, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office will determine the official cause of death.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with Markeisha’s family and loved ones during this unimaginable time,” said Sheriff Christina Corpus in a prepared statement. “Fentanyl is a highly dangerous drug. Even the smallest amount can be deadly. We will not tolerate people bringing drugs into our facility and putting the safety of our employees, visitors and those in our custody at risk.”
The Sheriff’s Office said deputies have conducted several sweeps of the Maple Street facility to check for any remaining drugs. Two days after the inmate’s death, deputies arrested a man on probation after he allegedly tried to smuggle drugs and a phone to another inmate at the jail.
Aside from the Sheriff’s Office investigation, the inmate’s death triggered independent investigations by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office and the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office.
