Clay Aaron Estes
Clay Aaron Estes died on August 12, 2025, while held at the Orange Beach Police Department jail in Orange Beach, Alabama, where he was found hanged. His estate, through his mother Ashley Estes, has filed a wrongful-death and civil rights lawsuit against the Orange Beach Police Department. The lawsuit says he had medical and mental-health concerns and had just returned from an emergency-department hospitalization, and that after a shift change his supervision was discontinued. It also says the jail routinely fails on suicide-risk screening, cell checks and emergency response. City officials had not commented publicly on the lawsuit.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (neglect alleged). Clay's estate's lawsuit says jail staff discontinued his supervision after a shift change and failed to act on his medical and mental-health concerns and suicide-risk screening; city officials had not commented publicly.
Reported by: Estate's wrongful-death and civil rights lawsuit, filed by Ashley Estes through attorney Melvin H. Dixon Jr. (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate sued the Orange Beach Police Department in a wrongful-death and civil rights lawsuit, filed by Ashley Estes through attorney Melvin H. Dixon Jr., and no settlement or award amount has been reported.