SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County Jail inmate was pronounced dead Saturday and the Texas Rangers are investigating his death, according to a news release from the Smith County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said Randall Lamont Britton, 32, was found unresponsive about 5:25 p.m. by a Smith County detention officer.
Detention officers were preparing to feed the inmates on the second floor of the central jail facility when they were notified about Britton, according to the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office said medical staff from the jail began CPR and used an automated external defibrillator to try to revive Britton. The Tyler Fire Department and an ambulance arrived at the jail and first responders continued CPR until Britton was declared dead, according to the sheriff's office.
Sheriff's office officials said Britton was observed alert in his cell at 4:04 p.m. and 4:47 p.m. when officers did inmate checks.
An inquest was performed and an autopsy was ordered, according to the news release.
The sheriff's office said the autopsy will be performed at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences (Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office) in Dallas.
Smith County officials notified the Texas Rangers to investigate the incident.
Britton was booked into Smith County Jail on Aug. 8, 2014, at 3:21 p.m. and was charged with murder and tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair human corpse, according to the sheriff's office.
He was being held on bonds totaling $750,000, according to jail records.
A Tyler Morning Telegraph article dated Nov. 20, 2014, indicates Britton underwent treatment in a state mental health facility until he was deemed competent to stand trial for the asphyxiation death of his father in their Smith County home in August 2014.
The article said 56-year-old R.L. Britton was found dead in his home in the Jackson Heights community in August 2014 and his son was taken into custody immediately and charged with the death.
The elder Britton had injuries to his face, his body was bleeding and his body had been dragged backward and propped in an awkward position, according to the prior reporting.
The article went on to say family members reported the elder Britton had died from a heart attack, but the Smith County District's Attorney's Office said at the time that was not the case.
Further investigation indicated Britton's father died of asphyxia with the compression of the neck, according to the article.
Britton pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Oct. 22 in the 7th District Court, according to Smith County judicial records.
Smith County's online database for criminal case records indicates Britton was scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Nov. 30.
