Death Investigation At The Lincoln County Jail

UPDATE:

Sunday December 22nd, 2024 at approximately noon Newport Police responded to the Lincoln County jail on a report of an Adult in Custody (AIC) death. A death investigation was conducted, which included but was not limited to: interviews of other AIC’s, Corrections Officers, a review of jail surveillance footage, and autopsy findings on the deceased subject, Steven Patrick Riley of Lincoln City.

Information obtained during the investigation, and from the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office who conducted an autopsy on Mr. Riley, indicate that Riley’s death was not related to any suspicious activity and Mr. Riley died of natural causes that were a result of a chronic medical condition that was unreported to jail staff and, possibly, unknown to Mr. Riley.

Sunday December 22, 2024, at approximately 11:45 a.m., during routine meal service, Lincoln County Jail deputies discovered an adult in custody Steven Patrick Riley of Lincoln City, Oregon unresponsive. Jail staff immediately began CPR, administered the AED and medics were called. Riley was pronounced deceased by paramedics. At the time of the incident Riley was housed in a single cell. Jail deputies completed routine welfare checks approximately 26 minutes prior to the incident.

An autopsy to determine cause of death is scheduled. Steven Riley was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail on a Lincoln County Circuit Court warrant charging Probation Violation/Fail to Appear (Recklessly Endangering and Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants). The Lincoln County Sheriff's office announced that the Newport Police Department will be the agency handling the death investigation.