Steven Lemus
Steven Lemus was held at the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail in Arizona, where he was awaiting trial, when he died on March 30, 2022. According to his family's attorney, Larry Wulkan, and as described in ABC15's reporting drawn from jail surveillance video and internal records, another person placed in his cell less than a day earlier beat, strangled and stabbed him in the eye. That cellmate admitted to killing him in interviews with investigators. His family alleges the county failed to keep pretrial detainees safe and has filed a $5 million settlement demand against the sheriff's office, county health services and the Board of Supervisors. The sheriff's office had not yet responded to a request for comment at the time of the report.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). The family's attorney, Larry Wulkan, alleges the county failed to keep Lemus safe after placing him with a cellmate, and the cellmate admitted to investigators that he killed him, per ABC15 reporting on jail video and internal records.
Reported by: attorney for the family (Larry Wulkan) (family or their lawyers); ABC15 reporting on jail surveillance video and internal records (reporters); cellmate, in interviews with investigators (witnesses).
Lawsuit: His family, through attorney Larry Wulkan, filed a $5 million settlement demand against the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, county health services and the Board of Supervisors, and no payment has been reported.