Ricky Edwards, 61, died Aug. 12 in his cell at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center while held without bond on a misdemeanor trespassing charge, making him the 19th person to die in the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office's custody since 2018.

Edwards was found unresponsive that afternoon, prompting deputies to declare a medical emergency, according to a Fairfax County Sheriff's Office press release. Deputies and on-site medical staff began emergency aid immediately. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department responded to assist, but Edwards was pronounced dead at 5:11 p.m.

The Sheriff's Office said the death appears to be from natural causes with no indication of foul play. An autopsy will be performed under the agency's policies.

Edwards had been jailed since July 18 on a charge of violating a trespass order under Virginia Code § 18.2-119, a misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. He was arraigned July 20 and represented by the Fairfax County Public Defender's Office, FFXnow reported. His next court date had been a Sept. 8 progress review.

Second death in days

Edwards's death came three days after an unidentified inmate receiving hospice care at a local hospital died around 2:45 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, while still in Sheriff's Office custody. That death also triggered a Fairfax County Police Department investigation, as required by Virginia law and Sheriff's Office policy for all in-custody deaths.

The Sheriff's Office had not reported any in-custody deaths earlier in 2026 before these two in August.

Since 2018, 19 people have now died while in the agency's custody, according to past Sheriff's Office press releases compiled by FFXnow.

Oversight questions

The Fairfax County Police Department is investigating Edwards's death, as it does all in-custody deaths at the detention center.

At the state level, a 2024 Virginia law sponsored by Del. Cia Price (D-Newport News) requires law enforcement agencies and local jails to report in-custody deaths and created a review panel to examine the data and recommend changes. That panel released its first assessment in July 2025, which included recommendations for local jails.

A separate state law requires autopsies for in-custody deaths at state prison facilities, but it does not clearly apply to local jails like the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. The Sheriff's Office said it will conduct an autopsy under its own policies.

Neither the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office nor the Public Defender's Office had responded to FFXnow's inquiries about Edwards's case as of Friday, Aug. 14.

The Fairfax County Police Department's investigation remains open, and autopsy results are pending.