Pedro Ruiz
Pedro Ruiz was 19 and from the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago. He was held at Cook County Jail, where he was found unresponsive in his cell in the early morning of February 1, 2020, and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Cook County medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, attributing it to multiple injuries from a beating and a major neck injury, and prosecutors said his cellmate attacked him with a soap-filled sock for about ten minutes. The sheriff's office said it opened an internal investigation and is reviewing why the two men were housed together. Ruiz's mother filed a wrongful-death lawsuit alleging that jail officials knew of a high likelihood of attack and housed them together anyway.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (neglect alleged). Prosecutors say his cellmate beat him to death, and his mother's wrongful-death lawsuit says jail officials knew of a high likelihood of attack and housed the two men together anyway; prosecutors also say guards did not reach the cell for roughly half an hour.
Reported by: Cook County prosecutors; Cook County medical examiner's office (medical examiner or coroner); Cook County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Ruiz's mother, in her wrongful-death lawsuit (family or their lawyers); police documents obtained through court records.
Lawsuit: His mother filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Cook County jail officials alleging they knew of a high likelihood of attack and housed him with his cellmate anyway, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.
News reports (9)
- Cook County Jail inmate found dead in cell from head trauma
- Death of Cook County Jail detainee found dead in his cell ruled a homicide - Chicago Sun-Times
- Murder charge filed in detainee beating death at Cook County Jail
- Cook County jail detainee charged in cell-mate’s death
- Christian Gonzalez Charged With Murder In Death Of Cook County Jail Cellmate Pedro Ruiz, A Rival Gang Member
- Gang member 'beats rival to death with a half hour after they were placed in the same jail cell'
- Burbank Gang Member Accused In Fatal 'Soap Sock' Jail Beating
- Family of Cook County Jail inmate beaten to death files suit alleging officials knew of ‘high likelihood’ of attack
- Family of Cook County Jail inmate beaten to death files suit alleging officials knew of ‘high likelihood’ of attack - Chicago Sun-Times