By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Four inmates have died in Maricopa County custody in the span of two weeks.
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All four deaths occurred at Lower Buckeye Jail, the largest detention facility in Arizona. The causes of death remain under investigation, pending autopsies.
Three inmates died during the last weekend of June; a fourth died over the Fourth of July weekend.
The latest inmate to die, Troy Wright, was arrested on a murder charge last Thursday and was found dead in jail over the weekend — just days after being booked.
Maricopa County sheriff deputies have not released the identities of the other inmates who died.
So far in 2026, 14 Maricopa County inmates have died while in custody, mostly inside Lower Buckeye Jail.
Criminologist cites drug intoxication, suicide as leading causes
Criminologist Andy Hall said the death toll reflects a broader public health crisis inside Arizona jails.
“Too many people are dying,” Hall said. “Job one for people who work in the system is to make sure that people who come into the jail system make it out alive.”
Hall said 60% of deaths in the Maricopa County system are due to accidental drug intoxication. He also said Phoenix’s inmate death rate far exceeds that of other major cities.
“In the case of Chicago and New York City, they’re a quarter the rate of deaths that we have here in Phoenix in the Maricopa County system,” Hall said. “LA County is about half.”
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Drug-related deaths spike; suicide rate drops
In 2025, 20 of 39 Maricopa County inmate deaths were drug-related. Hall said half of those 20 people died the same day or within one to four days of being booked.
Last November, the sheriff’s office added body scanners throughout the jail system to prevent drugs from being smuggled in. Two new drug detection K9s were also added, and surprise and targeted shakedowns increased.
MCSO noted that the majority of 2025 drug-related deaths occurred before the new X-ray technology was fully implemented.
Hall, however, said those measures do not address what he considers the core issue.
“I think that a main channel is staff,” Hall said. “Drugs can be brought in by staff, often are brought in by correctional staff. That’s just a fact of jail and prison operations.”
The sheriff’s office has also ramped up mental health training and suicide prevention efforts in recent years. Deputies said suicides accounted for 19% to 27% of in-custody deaths between 2019 and 2024. In 2025, that figure dropped to 7%.
In response to the recent deaths, officials said detectives are conducting comprehensive searches throughout Lower Buckeye Jail. Detention staff is also receiving additional training on drug withdrawal management and how to read X-ray images.
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