A 55-year-old man who was jailed on suspicion of public intoxication died in custody from natural causes, the Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.
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Eugene Rodman Smith, who had chronic pancreatitis, suffered from a ruptured pseudocyst, or a fluid-filled sac inside the pancreas, causing acute peritonitis, or severe inflammation of the lining of the abdomen, according to an autopsy performed by the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Cardiovascular disease and alcohol use disorder were cited as contributing factors to his death.
Smith was discovered unresponsive inside a holding cell at the San Diego Central Jail at approximately 11:55 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2025, when deputies were performing their routine duties, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
He was alone in the cell when deputies discovered him. Authorities immediately activated emergency dispatch, requested assistance from the facility’s medical staff and began lifesaving measures, sheriff’s officials said.
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Paramedics took Smith to a hospital, but he was pronounced dead at approximately 1:15 a.m. on Oct. 2.
Smith had been in the sheriff’s custody since Sept. 29, 2025, for public intoxication.
Following protocol for all in-custody deaths, the Sheriff’s homicide unit responded to conduct an investigation, and the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board was notified.
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