Jose M. Trejo Valazquez
Jose Trejo, 25, was held at the Allen County Jail in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in October 2024, where he had been placed a few days earlier while awaiting trial. Indiana State Police said he was showing symptoms they believed may have been linked to earlier narcotics use, and that a jail nurse checked on him the Monday morning before staff began paperwork to move him to a hospital. He was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead at about 8:30 a.m. on October 21, and the Allen County coroner ruled his cause of death was fentanyl toxicity. His widow, Gabriela Apodaca, has sued the sheriff and jail staff, alleging overcrowding, missed checks, delayed medical care and drug access in the jail, and the sheriff's office has not commented on the pending litigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). State Police say he showed symptoms possibly linked to earlier narcotics use, and the Allen County coroner ruled his death fentanyl toxicity, while his widow Gabriela Apodaca's wrongful death lawsuit says fentanyl toxicity and alleges missed checks and delayed medical care at the jail.
Reported by: Indiana State Police (outside investigators); Allen County coroner (medical examiner or coroner); his widow Gabriela Apodaca, via wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His widow, Gabriela Apodaca, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Allen County sheriff and jail staff; no settlement or award amount is reported.
Sources (6)
- Inmate dies at Allen County Jail after medical event
- Wrongful death lawsuit filed against Allen County Sheriff, jail staff in inmate’s 2024 death
- Woman sues sheriff, deputies over husband's 2024 death at Allen County Jail
- Widow files $750,000 wrongful death lawsuit over Allen County Jail inmate’s death
- Allen County Jail faces wrongful death lawsuit from inmate’s widow
- Widow sues Allen County sheriff, jail following husband’s fentanyl death inside jail