Man dies at Grant County Jail
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month AGO
Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete, shown here during his campaign in 2022, said he understands how distressing it is that an inmate has died in custody and that his department is committed to transparency as a regional law enforcement team investigates the incident.
FILE PHOTO
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | November 4, 2025 4:06 PM
EPHRATA — The Columbia Basin Investigative Team will be investigating the death of an inmate found unresponsive in his cell at the Grant County Jail early Tuesday morning. The name of the victim, 54 years of age, has not been released.
“Around 7 a.m., jail staff found the man inside a special holding cell for people in crisis,” said Kyle Foreman, public information officer for the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, in a press release. “He was not awake, did not respond to them, was not breathing and had no pulse.”
Jail staff began resuscitation attempts; emergency medical personnel from Lifeline Ambulance and the Ephrata Fire Department responded and continued the attempts.
“However, the man was pronounced dead about 7:30 a.m.,” Foreman said. “He was the only person in the holding cell.”
The man was arrested Friday afternoon by the Moses Lake Police Department and booked on suspicion of trafficking stolen property and theft. He had been in jail since his arrest, Foreman said.
Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete requested a CBIT investigation. While it includes law enforcement officers from throughout Grant, Adams and Kittitas counties, no personnel from GCSO or MLPD will be on the investigation team.
“We recognize that any death in custody can be distressing for family members, staff, and the community. Support services are available to employees,” Kriete said. “The Grant County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to ensuring a thorough, fair, and compassionate review of this incident, and is cooperating with the investigation.”
This case will be investigated by detectives from the Ellensburg Police Department, Othello Police Department and Washington State Patrol, Foreman said. Troy Froewiss, captain with the Ephrata Police Department, will be the contact. Any additional information on the investigation will be released by the CBIT.
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