Ricardo Jones
Ricardo Jones, 31, was a father of several children, a former high school running back who drew some college interest, and a musician who recorded under the stage name Shotta Suppa. He was found dead on a mattress on the floor of a cell at the Scotland County jail in Laurinburg, North Carolina, on June 18, 2022, about a week after he was held there. The medical examiner's autopsy report attributes his death to complications of a physical altercation with another person held at the jail, with sickle cell trait a contributing factor, and classifies it as a homicide. The sheriff's office turned the investigation over to the State Bureau of Investigation, and his family says they have received little information about how he died and have not been able to view his body. His mother, Celestine Mitchell, has said she wants her son's death to help others.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed). The medical examiner's autopsy report attributes the death to complications of a physical altercation with another jail inmate, with sickle cell trait a contributing factor, while the family says it has received little information and wants answers.
Reported by: medical examiner's autopsy report (medical examiner or coroner); Scotland County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); his family.