Jeffrey McMaster Jr., 44, charged with the murder of Leslie Marshall, 49, died at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin after suffering a medical emergency on Saturday, June 7, 2026. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office reported that McMaster collapsed after requesting to use a restroom during a medical screening. This incident marks the third in-custody death at Santa Rita Jail in 2026, drawing renewed attention to inmate welfare at the facility.
McMaster had been in custody since February 3, 2026, following his arrest by the Oakland Police Department for the fatal beating of Leslie Marshall. According to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, Marshall was beaten to death at a residential hotel near 23rd and San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, an incident reportedly captured on security camera. McMaster and Marshall both resided at the hotel.
Just days before his death, McMaster had been medically discharged from a local hospital and cleared for further incarceration after suffering a seizure inside his cell on May 28. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office stated that deputies heard a noise from the cell after McMaster was escorted to a bathroom, finding him experiencing a medical emergency. Despite life-saving efforts by deputies and emergency medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at 12:46 p.m.
The circumstances surrounding McMaster's death are under investigation by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, with a forensic pathologist set to determine the official cause of death after an autopsy and toxicology testing. The District Attorney's Office was notified, and the sheriff's office plans to report the death to the California Attorney General’s Office, as required by law. McMaster had a significant criminal history, including prior convictions for elder abuse and assault with intent to commit a sex crime, and was on probation at the time of Marshall's murder.
Santa Rita Jail has faced scrutiny over its inmate death rates, with reports indicating a history of numerous deaths within the facility. The death of Jeffrey McMaster Jr. adds to the growing number of fatalities at the jail, raising concerns among advocates and officials about medical care and oversight for inmates. The ongoing investigation will seek to clarify the events leading to McMaster's death and its potential implications for jail protocols.
