Local & Community
Riverside County Ordered to Pay $5.4 Million in Fentanyl Death
A federal jury has found Riverside County partially responsible for the fentanyl-related death of an inmate awaiting trial, ordering the county to pay his family $5.4 million.
Richard Mattis Jr., 29, of Beaumont, died inside his cell at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta in August 2022. According to the case, a fellow inmate warned deputies that Mattis was experiencing a medical emergency.
Jurors awarded Mattis’ family $13.5 million and determined Riverside County was 40% responsible for his death. That leaves the county responsible for $5.4 million of the award.
At the time of his death, Mattis was awaiting trial alongside his brother in connection with a violent robbery at a cannabis store in Banning.
The jury's decision places responsibility on the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the county over the circumstances surrounding Mattis' death.
The county has not said whether it plans to appeal the verdict.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
August 27, 2026
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