Shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 5, Detectives from the Cold Case Unit of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office received a notification and promptly responded to a report of an inmate in medical distress.
Upon reaching the scene, detectives discovered that the inmate, 63-year-old Renae Ray Carter, was housed in an isolation cell. At around 9:30 p.m., the inmate had been observed walking around outside his dorm before returning and lying down.
Corrections officers conducted regular rounds and attempted communication through the cell door. However, a few minutes past midnight, they received no response from the inmate.
Concerned for the inmate’s well-being, officers suspected he was in medical distress and sought assistance from the jail medical staff. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department arrived and pronounced the inmate deceased at 12:30 a.m.
On November 22, 2023, Carter was first placed under arrest for “trespass on property of another and defies order to leave.”
Preliminary details suggest that the inmate might have experienced an unspecified medical incident. There is no evidence to suggest any interaction with fellow inmates or officers before the incident that could have played a role in his medical emergency.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) reports that the cause of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner’s Office after conducting an autopsy on the inmate, while detectives are actively pursuing their investigation.
