GREAT FALLS — Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said Monday that three inmates in the detention center have died within the last two weeks.
The three deaths were separate incidents.
Slaughter said that two of the deaths were suicides and the third was a drug overdose.
Lewis & Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton conducted the autopsies and provided the following information:
- Leon Laverdure, male, age 51 from Great Falls, suicide - asphyxiation due to hanging. Date of death - June 29
- Julius Lowe, male age 28 from Shelby, pending but suspected overdose. Date of death - July 5
- Andrew Swager, male age 58 from Great Falls, suicide - asphyxiation due to hanging. Date of death – July 10
The Montana Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the deaths, which is standard procedure for any in-custody death.
Coroner's inquests will be scheduled once the investigations are complete to determine if there was anything criminal about any of the deaths.
