GRANT COUNTY, Wash. – A 54-year-old man was found dead Tuesday morning in a special holding cell at the Grant County Jail, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO).

The man was discovered around 7 a.m. in a cell designated for people in crisis. GCSO officials reported that he was not breathing and was unresponsive upon discovery.

Despite life-saving efforts by jail staff, LifeLine Ambulance crews and the Ephrata Fire Department, he was pronounced dead around 7:30 a.m.

Sheriff Joe Kriete has called for the Central Basin Investigative Team to look into the death, ensuring that no detectives from the GCSO or Moses Lake Police Department are involved, for the sake of a fair and unbiased investigation.

“We recognize that any death in custody can be distressing for family member

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