NEWS
MDC identifies inmate who died Tuesday
Officials say 36-year-old Julian Wilgress suffered a medical emergency
Published
Modified
Officials at the Metropolitan Detention Center have identified a man who died two days after being booked into the facility, marking the second inmate death of the week.
Julian Wilgress, 36, died Tuesday after experiencing a medical emergency about 1 p.m., Daniel Trujillo, a spokesperson for MDC, said in a Wednesday news release.
MDC staff and a University of New Mexico Hospital medical team arrived and administered lifesaving measures.
鈥淒espite rigorous efforts, Mr. Wilgress was pronounced dead at 1:49 p.m.,鈥� Trujillo said.
Trujillo said the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator will determine the cause of death.
Wilgress is the seventh MDC inmate to die in 2026. The sixth was 18-year-old Derrick Benavidez, who died Monday morning after a corrections officer found him in 鈥渕edical distress.鈥�
Wilgress was booked into MDC on Monday after being charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, concealing his identity and unlawfully obstructing movement.
He was on probation at the time, and New Mexico Probation and Parole said it would issue a felony warrant to revoke his probation, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.
Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.
