ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) has confirmed the death of another inmate, marking the sixth in-custody death at the facility this year.
Thomas Acee II, 33, was found unresponsive in his cell around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to jail officials. Staff attempted life-saving measures, but Acee was pronounced dead at the scene.
Acee had previously made headlines for several high-profile criminal cases. In 2021, he was accused of opening fire on the newly completed Alvarado Square building in downtown Albuquerque, forcing the facility to close for ten days. At the time, he was already wanted for other offenses.
In 2023, Acee was also accused in the drive-by shooting death of a 13-year-old in downtown Albuquerque.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of the Medical Investigator are now investigating the circumstances surrounding his death. Officials say more information will be released following the completion of an autopsy.
This incident adds to growing concerns about conditions and oversight at MDC, which has now recorded six inmate deaths in 2024.
