An inmate has died following a series of drug overdoses at a Maricopa County jail, with 12 incidents reported over the past week.
According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), all overdoses occurred at Estrella Jail. Sheriff Jerry Sheridan provided details, stating the first incident took place on February 6, when eight inmates showed signs of overdose. The latest incident happened around 1:00 a.m. on February 14, involving four inmates—one of whom later died.
In both cases, detention officers discovered fentanyl inside the facility. Sheriff Sheridan explained that a plastic bag containing approximately seven to eight grams of fentanyl was recovered after an inmate removed it from her body cavity and handed it over to officers. Additionally, detention officer Barbara Herrera found more fentanyl inside an inmate’s cell.
Officials have identified the inmates involved but have not released the name of the deceased.
MCSO believes the drug problem is largely inmate-driven, with some individuals allegedly getting arrested deliberately to smuggle drugs into jail. Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez stated that further action will be taken once they determine who is responsible for bringing in the substances.
To combat the crisis, MCSO has announced that X-ray scanners will soon be installed in all county jails, making inmate and staff safety a top priority.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D) and Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) are moving to reinstate executions after a two-year pause in the state. The suspension, initiated when both officials took office in 2023, was intended to allow for a comprehensive review of Arizona’s troubled capital punishment system, but Governor Hobbs recently ended the review, citing concerns about its findings and direction.
Hobbs appointed former U.S. Magistrate Judge David Duncan to evaluate Arizona’s execution procedures, focusing on issues such as drug procurement, protocols, and staff training. However, she dismissed Duncan last week, stating that the review faced “repeated challenges” and failed to meet the intended goals. In a letter, Hobbs criticized Duncan for exceeding the scope of his role, noting that his draft recommendations included the use of firing squads, a method not currently permitted under Arizona law.
“For example, you recommend that [the Department of Corrections] conduct executions by firing squad … despite the Executive Order’s direction to focus on procurement, protocols, and procedures related to carrying out an execution under existing law,” Hobbs wrote.
