Deon Mathis
Deon Mathis, 36, was held at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mount Sterling, Illinois, where he had been since February 2023, and he died there in April 2023. The Illinois Department of Corrections confirmed his death and has released no details while its investigation continues. His mother, Valerie Waters, says a preliminary autopsy listed pulmonary congestion and no signs of trauma, and that officials partly attributed the death to a heart condition, which she disputes. She has commissioned an independent autopsy, which was still pending when the reporting was published. His family held a celebration of life service for him on April 25 at Johnson's Funeral Home in Chicago.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed). The Illinois Department of Corrections has released no details while its investigation continues, and a preliminary autopsy as relayed by his mother listed pulmonary congestion with a heart condition contributing; his mother Valerie Waters disputes the heart-condition attribution and has commissioned an independent autopsy that was still pending.
Reported by: Brown County preliminary autopsy, as relayed by mother Valerie Waters (medical examiner or coroner); Valerie Waters, his mother (family or their lawyers).