HENRY County, Va. – One of four people charged in a murder conspiracy case in Henry County has died while in custody.
On Wednesday, 54-year-old Tanna Fitzgerald told deputies at the Henry County Jail she had taken an excessive amount of prescription blood pressure medication.
Henry County Department of Public Safety took Fitzgerald to SOVAH Health Martinsville. At the time, the sheriff’s office said that Fitzgerald was alert and coherent, and not displaying any signs of medical distress. She died later that morning at the hospital.
An autopsy was performed at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the Western District of Virginia, and preliminary results showed no obvious signs of trauma or foul play. The complete autopsy report is pending toxicology testing.
Deputies conducted a search in her cell earlier this week, and the jail has a process of watching inmates take their medicine when given. It’s not clear how Fitzgerald obtained the pills.
Fitzgerald was arrested on May 20 and indicted on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in relation to the death of Pamela Morse.
Along with Fitzgerald, Morse’s husband, David, as well as Casey Rogers and Collin Russell also were arrested in connection with the woman’s murder.