Former Inmate Dies After Being Found Unresponsive In Cell

SAN DIEGO, CA — A former inmate at the San Diego Central Jail has died, two days after he was released from custody due to his deteriorating health.

On Dec. 1, deputies discovered Jerry Borunda, 63, unresponsive in his cell at about 9:45 a.m. while they were serving food.

He was taken to a local hospital, and his prognosis indicated he wouldn't recover from his medical condition, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.

Borunda, a San Diego resident, was "compassionately released from custody" the evening of Dec. 17 due to his condition and his family's needs, officials said. He died the evening of Dec. 19.

Borunda was arrested and booked on Nov. 30, 2021 on an attempted murder charge. Officials said he was housed in a cell by himself and no evidence of foul play was found.

The Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on Monday. Borunda's cause and manner of death are pending laboratory results and official evaluation, officials said.