The death of an inmate at the Wallace Pack Unit in Navasota may have been COVID-19 related, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
An investigation is ongoing to determine if the death of 62 year old Leonard Clerkly on Saturday morning was related to the virus. Clerkly had difficulty breathing, and was transported to a hospital in Grimes County. After numerous life saving measures, he was pronounced dead at 5:25 am April 11th.
According to the press release, the preliminary autopsy suggests a cause of death of viral pneumonia due to COVID, with other contributing factors. The official cause of death is pending final autopsy results.
Clerkly had served 5 and a half years of a life sentence for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child under 14 out of Tarrant County.
As of right now, no other offenders or staff at the Pack Unit have tested positive for COVID-19. Across Texas, there have been 97 TDCJ employees, staff or contractors, and 236 offenders who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The TDCJ is also facing a lawsuit from Pack Unit inmates concerning preventative coronavirus measures.