Inmate Dies at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center

Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office

An inmate found unresponsive in his cell died Sunday at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, said Chief Deputy Keith Lowery.

Detention deputies doing a routine count found inmate Manuel Angel Blanco-Garcia unresponsive in his cell, Lowery said. They contacted the center’s on-duty medical staff who assessed him. Emergency Medical Services paramedics pronounced him deceased.

Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh was notified and responded.

“Our heart-felt sympathy goes out to his family,” Fitzhugh said.

Blanco-Garcia, 20, of Nashville, was charged Friday with second-degree murder and four counts of felony possession of Schedule II drugs for resale. He was being held on $500,000 bond at the detention center.

Detective Sgt. Richard Brinkley, who is investigating with lead Detective Dennis Ward, said Blanco-Garcia was housed in a cell alone.

The EMS medical examiner investigator joined Brinkley and Ward. An autopsy by the Rutherford County Medical Examiner’s Office was requested to determine the cause of death.