EVERETT — An inmate who died in the Snohomish County Jail last week has been identified.
Around 11 a.m. Jan. 15, a corrections deputy found a 36-year-old man unresponsive in his cell, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. Corrections staff began lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The deceased was identified Tuesday as Brendon Tesch, of Marysville. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office had not determined a cause of death.
Tesch had been in jail since Aug. 17, when police arrested him for investigation of reckless driving, second-degree assault, residential burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of vehicle theft tools, second-degree burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and unlawful firearm possession.
Tesch’s death was the fourth at the jail since September, and 27 inmates have died at the Snohomish County Jail since 2005, according to data obtained by The Daily Herald.
In September, jail staff found Jonathan Reilly and Andrey Biruk unresponsive within four days of each other while in their cells. Both died.
In October, corrections staff found David Koeppen dead in his cell. The Florida man was being held on charges of first-degree murder in connection with a shooting at a motorhome in Granite Falls.
Julia Phipps, the wife of Lane Phipps — who was close with Tesch while the two were in jail — said changes need to be made. Phipps said inmates face a lack of resources. As of Tuesday, Lane Phipps was in jail awaiting trial for eight different charges, including first-degree assault.
“To me this is much more than drug overdoses happening in the jail,” Julia Phipps said. “It’s a criminal justice issue that we need to work to change.”
Jonathan Tall: 425-339-3486; jonathan.tall@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @snocojon.
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