Second inmate death in 7 days reported at North Carolina detention center

By Kelly Doty

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    RUTHERFORD COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — Rutherford County authorities say another inmate at the county detention center has died, marking the second such death in a week.

In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office said detention center staff were performing routine cell checks during the evening of May 11, 2024, when they found 40-year-old Zeb John Davis unresponsive in his assigned cell.

Authorities said staff members performed lifesaving medical procedures, but they were unsuccessful. The sheriff’s office noted that staff also called 911, and several county agencies responded to the scene.

The sheriff’s office described a similar scene in a May 7 Facebook post. Authorities said detention center staff found Terrell Quante Ledbetter unresponsive in his cell and were unable to revive him.

At the request of the sheriff’s office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is conducting an independent investigation into the cause of death for both inmates.

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