Henderson residents learned that the police department did not notify the City Council of inmate Jaime Chrusch’s death until two months after it occurred, a breach of Nevada Revised Statutes § 211.117 that requires a death report within 48 hours. The 36‑year‑old was found dead by suicide on Nov. 30, 2024, after using a cord from a wall‑mounted phone to hang himself in a holding cell at the Henderson Detention Center, which is operated by the Henderson Police Department. The Clark County coroner’s office ruled the death a suicide.
According to a report by Hoodline that cites Las Vegas Review‑Journal reporter Casey Harrison, the city’s own documents show that Police Chief Hollie Chadwick sent an email apology to Councilwoman Monica Larson and City Manager Stephanie Garcia‑Vause on Feb. 6, 2025, acknowledging that the notification was “beyond the 48 hours.” Chadwick told the Review‑Journal in an Aug. 20 interview that she had notified the city attorney’s and city manager’s offices “immediately” after learning of the death, though the exact timing remains unclear. The department also failed to issue a public news release, a practice that differs from the Metropolitan Police Department and Nevada Department of Corrections.
Chadwick was dismissed from her role as police chief on March 6, 2025, and has since entered the mayoral race against incumbent Michelle Romero. In July 2025, Reggie Rader assumed the chief’s position and instituted a new policy requiring the department to issue news releases after any inmate death or officer‑involved shooting. The policy was first applied after the Sept. 29, 2026 death of 49‑year‑old Jacob Toroian, who was found dead during a routine inmate check. While the coroner’s office has not yet released the cause or manner of Toroian’s death, the department issued a news release on Sept. 30, 2026, citing the updated procedure.
The Henderson case reflects a broader pattern of non‑compliance across Clark County. The Las Vegas Sun reported that, as of April 2024, none of the five jails in the county were meeting the 2019 transparency law that mandates biannual death reports to city councils. A Henderson police spokesperson confirmed that the department had not produced regular reports, though the city said biannual reports would begin that summer. The Sun noted that the law contains no enforcement language, leaving jurisdictions without clear penalties.
Legal experts, including ACLU of Nevada legal director Chris Peterson, argue that timely public notices of detention‑center deaths are essential for accountability and for identifying harmful procedural trends. The two‑month delay in Henderson has become a focal point for residents and officials evaluating the department’s recent promises of reform.
What’s next: City officials say the new reporting policy will be reviewed at the next City Council meeting, scheduled for early November 2026, to assess its effectiveness and to consider additional transparency measures for the detention center.
Sources: hoodline.com
