Clayton Lamar Shennum entered Randall County Jail in Amarillo, Texas, on July 31, 2023. Approximately two weeks later, on August 14, 2023, he was found with a mattress cover tied around his neck in his cell shower. He was unresponsive. Although lifesaving measures began almost immediately, Mr. Shennum died that day at 39 years of age.

A County Jail Detainee Outside Texas is Found Deceased

In early September 2023 news, a detainee in an Idaho county jail was found deceased in his cell. The sheriff’s office reported that the detainee had been discovered hanging in his cell. He had made a makeshift ligature out of a bedsheet. Deputies immediately began lifesaving measures and called for emergency medical services (EMS).

The detainee’s pulse was restored before he was transported to a nearby hospital. He remained on life support for about one week before being pronounced deceased. The age of the individual was not shared in the news report, but it mentioned that he had been in the county jail just since September 1, 2023.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Idaho is ranked 12^th in the U.S. for having the highest suicide rate in local jails. Traction has been made in raising suicide awareness in recent years, according to a local sheriff.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this five-part series.

Providing helpful information for detainees in county and city jails in Texas is one of the purposes of this website. There is never and intention of accusing a person or entity of wrongdoing on this site.

–Guest Contributor