in-custody death at lerdo jail

The Kern County Coroner’s Office has released the identity of a man who died in custody at the Lerdo Justice Facility.

Jose Tovar, 50, of Shafter, was found unresponsive at around 3:30 a.m. Thursday and was pronounced dead about thirty minutes later.

It’s the second in-custody death at Lerdo within a week. 28-year-old Angel Balbuena died at the facility March 13.