Marion County inmate dies after fight; family wants answers

They want person they believe caused his death arrested

“This is not a mystery. I know who killed my brother. Why is it being kept from the voters and taxpayers?”

OCALA — Krysti Merchant and her family want answers.

Earlier this month her brother, Cory P. Merchant, 35, was severely injured when he was struck by a fellow inmate at the Marion County Jail. Merchant was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where he died days later.

Merchant’s sister and family members believe the injury and death could have been prevented. They also want the person who they believe cause his death arrested.

“This is not a mystery. I know who killed my brother. Why is it being kept from the voters and taxpayers?” Merchant asked Ocala City Council members during Tuesday’s council meeting.

At the end of her prepared speech, Merchant asked Mayor Kent Guinn, “Can you help me?”

Guinn called Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken to the podium. Balken said he would look into the matter.

The police department does not control the county jail. The Marion County Sheriff ’s Office does. Heart of Florida Health Center provides medical service for inmates.

The chief met Merchant outside during the council meeting. He told Merchant that he would look into the situation and get back to her.

Merchant’s family said he died at 12:52 a.m. Nov. 13, nearly a week after he was transported to ORMC in critical condition.

He had tubes in and out of his head when family members visited him, Krysti Merchant and father Tommie Merchant told the Star-Banner.

According to the family, they said they were told independently that Merchant was beaten and, when other inmates tried to alert detention deputies, their pleas were ignored.

“He’s not a fighter. He’s very passive,” Krysti Merchant said of her brother.

Addressing the council on Tuesday, Merchant said the incident occurred on Nov. 7 at 12:30 a.m. and the beating was captured on security video. She said the sheriff ’s office is refusing to charge her brother’s attacker with murder and is not even revealing the person’s identity.

Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed there was an altercation at the jail and that it was recorded on surveillance video.

They said it started as a verbal exchange between Merchant and another inmate and led to a short physical altercation.

Authorities said Merchant was hit at least three times and fell backward onto the floor, which may have led to the fatal injury.

Inmates called out to detention deputies and Merchant was taken to the hospital for treatment, officials said.

Surveillance recordings from public buildings such as the jail are confidential, sheriff ’s officials said. They also said the investigation is ongoing and therefore the video will not be released at this time.

The altercation occurred in an open dorm that houses accused sex offenders, officials said.

Sheriff ’s Office officials said they are awaiting word on the cause and manner of Merchant’s death. They said if the death was a homicide, then the person responsible will be appropriately charged.

The sheriff ’s office is not releasing the name of the other inmate involved at this point. He’s still at the jail, being held without bail on other charges.

Merchant was awaiting resolution of three charges: lewd and lascivious battery on a child age 12 or older but younger than 16, unlawful sexual activity with a minor (offender is 24 or older and victim is 16 or 17), and lewd and lascivious exhibition (offender 18 or older and victim younger than 16.) He pleaded not guilty to all three.

The Ocala Police Department says Merchant was in his late 20s when he engaged in sexual conduct with the victim, who was 14 or 15. The crimes happened between 2014 and 2018.

On Nov. 11, prosecutors

— Krysti Merchant

dropped the charges against Merchant due to his medical condition. At the time, he was on life support with minimal chance of survival.

The man’s family said jail officials need to take responsibility for their actions. Merchant’s sister said people makes mistakes, but her brother should not have to suffer. She said while his charges are dropped, it was too late for her brother.

“He didn’t deserve this,” she said.