Antonio Rafeal Hernandez, 51, died Thursday, Feb. 12, at a local hospital while in the custody of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, according to the agency. Hernandez had been moved from the county jail to a medical facility on Jan. 26 and remained there for more than two weeks. He was ultimately placed on life support before his death, after his family made end-of-life decisions. Records show he had been held since an arrest in late May 2025 on a probation violation.
JSO: Cold Case Unit Notified
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit was called in just before 8:00 p.m. Thursday, according to a release cited by Action News Jax. Supervisors had already been alerted earlier in the day after hospital staff determined Hernandez needed life-support measures. Investigators say the review is ongoing, but the agency stated that “no foul play is suspected at this time.”
Context: other in-custody probes
Hernandez’s death comes as JSO is already dealing with a string of in-custody cases this winter. News4JAX reported that the agency was investigating two other in-custody deaths earlier in January and was awaiting autopsy results in at least one of those incidents. Those cases underscore how JSO often runs its own internal investigations while the Medical Examiner and prosecutors work to determine the official cause and manner of death.
Legal status and next steps
Public records and the sheriff’s office release show Hernandez had been arrested in late May 2025 on a violation of probation tied to fentanyl possession, according to Action News Jax. Investigators are expected to continue reviewing the case while they wait for findings from the Medical Examiner and toxicology testing. JSO has said it will provide additional details as more information becomes available.
