Ronnie Glenn Ledbetter
Ronnie Glenn Ledbetter, 53, of Decherd, Tennessee, died on May 29, 2024. He had been found in a vehicle after a single-car crash in Pelham, and deputies brought him to the Grundy County Jail, where he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The Grundy County Sheriff's Office says an autopsy found an overdose, that his rib fractures came from CPR, and that a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigation found no wrongdoing. His family's federal lawsuit says deputies beat him and dragged him through the jail while he was lifeless, and the sheriff's office disputes those claims.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). The sheriff's office says the autopsy found an overdose and that deputies did not cause the death, while the family's federal lawsuit says deputies beat him and dragged him through the jail while lifeless.
Reported by: Grundy County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); autopsy; Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (outside investigators); family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family filed a federal lawsuit over his death in Grundy County, alleging deputies beat him, and the sheriff's office disputes those claims; no settlement or award amount is reported.
Sources (7)
- TBI probing Grundy County prisoner death after he arrived at jail unresponsive
- Inmate arrives unresponsive at Grundy County Jail, later dies; TBI investigating
- TBI investigating man’s death at Grundy County jail
- Sheriff's office challenges lawsuit claiming deputies beat, killed Grundy County inmate
- Grundy County Sheriff’s Department Responds to Lawsuit
- UPDATE: Grundy Co. Sheriff’s Office disputes lawsuit of 2024 inmate death
- UPDATE: Grundy Co. Sheriff responds to federal lawsuit filed by family of deceased inmate