Authorities identify Grant Co. Jail inmate who died

EPHRATA — A man who died while in custody at the Grant County Jail Tuesday has been identified as Ruben Trevino, 54. 

Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison released Trevino’s name Thursday after completing an autopsy. Morrison determined the cause of death was peritonitis due to a perforated duodenal ulcer, said Kyle Foreman, public information officer for the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, in a media release. A hole in Trevino’s intestines led to an infection, Foreman said. 

Trevino was found unresponsive in his jail cell early Tuesday morning. Jail staff began resuscitation attempts, but Trevino was pronounced dead at the scene. Trevino had been in custody since Oct. 31, arrested by the Moses Lake Police Department and booked on suspicion of trafficking stolen property and theft.  

Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete requested an investigation of the incident by the Columbia Basin Investigative Team. While the CBIT includes law enforcement officers from throughout Grant, Adams and Kittitas counties, no personnel from GCSO or MLPD will be on the investigation team. 

The 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. Additional information on the case will be released by the CBIT.