Mesa County Deputies Identified in August 22 Custody Death
Two Mesa County sheriff’s deputies involved in an August 22 incident that left a detainee unresponsive and later deceased have been identified; both are on paid administrative leave while investigations continue.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office identified Deputies Jeremiah Carbajal and Christopher Tinkle as the officers involved in the August 22, 2026, incident in which a male detainee became unresponsive and later died. Carbajal, with the office since 2022, and Tinkle, with the office since 2018, are both assigned to the Patrol Division and are on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation separate from the 21st Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team. The 21st Judicial District team is also investigating the incident.