Brian Sailor
Brian Sailor, 67, was held at the Lake Region Correctional Center in Devils Lake, North Dakota, when he died on January 27, 2026. His ex-wife Julie said they had been together for more than 40 years, and his family remembers him as a hard-working man who loved his family. The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office said another person held at the facility found him hanging in a shower and alerted staff, and that his death was a suicide. His family said he had struggled with addiction in recent years and is calling for better jail safety measures. The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Department of Corrections are investigating, and the sheriff's office said preliminary findings show no foul play is suspected.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The sheriff's office says Brian Sailor died by suicide by hanging in a shower area after another inmate alerted staff, while his family members say he struggled with addiction and are calling for better jail safety measures after a second suicide tied to the facility.
Reported by: Ramsey County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); family members; North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (outside investigators).