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Two Shelby County Jail inmates died in past two weeks

Katherine Burgess
Memphis Commercial Appeal

Two detainees of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office have died in custody over the past two weeks.

Both deaths are currently being investigated and causes of death have yet to be determined by the medical examiner.

Alex Wenrick, 31, was found unresponsive by corrections personnel Friday, Oct. 8, in his cell at the Shelby County Jail. He was pronounced dead by Memphis Fire Department paramedics. Preliminary information from Shelby County Sheriff's Office detectives suggests no signs of foul play, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

Robert Turner, 59, was found unresponsive in his cell on Oct. 19, 2021, apparently in connection with attempted suicide, according to the sheriff's office. Jail staff began performing life-saving procedures and Memphis Fire took him to Methodist University Hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead. 

Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com, 901-529-2799 or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.