San Diego County Sheriff's Department: Death Investigation – Hospital Guard Unit

Press release from San Diego County Sheriff's Department:

02/11/2022 12:00 PM

The following information is fragmentary and has not been completely verified.  It is based, in part, on hearsay and is intended for early information use rather than being a formal investigative report.

On May 2, 2020, sixty-three-year-old Doyle Nyles Marler was arrested by the San Diego Police Department for the charges of 664-187(a) PC – Attempted Murder and 245(a)(1) PC – Assault with a Deadly Weapon, not a firearm.  On July 24, 2020, Marler was committed to Patton State Hospital.  Patton State Hospital was not receiving commits due to COVID-19 restrictions at the hospital, so the San Diego Sheriff's Department was unable to transfer him.   

On August 8, 2021, Marler was admitted to a local hospital for a chronic medical condition, which was subsequently determined to be a terminal illness.  Marler remained in the custody of the Hospital Guard Unit at the hospital until the completion of all treatment before starting palliative care.

The San Diego Sheriff's Department contacted Patton State Hospital to attempt to compassionately release Marler in order for Marler to be placed in hospice care.  The hearing was set for next week.  Unfortunately, on the afternoon of February 10, 2022, Marler was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

The Homicide Unit responded to investigate the death.  No evidence of foul play was discovered.

The Medical Examiner's Office will determine Marler's cause and manner of death.

Media Contact:  Thomas Seiver, Lieutenant
Thomas.Seiver@sdsheriff.org
Sheriff's Homicide Unit / 858-285-6330

This press release was produced by San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.