Jail Death: Autopsy Rules Inmate's Death as an Accident

The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled an inmate’s death at a Central Virginia Regional Jail earlier this summer an accident.

An autopsy report revealed that Shawn Christopher Berry, 37, died at the Orange lockup Aug. 9 from adverse effects of heroin and ethanol. He was arrested by Orange County sheriff’s deputies Aug. 7 on several outstanding warrants, including one on heroin charges in Maryland and another for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, The Daily Progress reports.

Berry had been wanted in Fairfax on charges of working as a contractor without a license and financial exploitation of a mentally incapacitated person. He also had warrants in Prince William County for failure to appear in court and obtaining money by false pretenses.