VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Five deputies involved in an incident where a Virginia Beach man died while in custody are no longer employed with the sheriff's office, Virginia Beach Sheriff Rocky Holcomb said in a statement on Friday. The medical examiner tells 13News Now that the inmate's manner of death was a homicide.
34-year-old Rolin Hill died in June, less than a week after suffering a medical emergency at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center (VBCC).
A VSP spokesperson told 13News Now the investigation remained ongoing, however, the medical examiner confirmed Hill's cause of death was a "positional and mechanical asphyxia due to restraint with neck and torso compression," and determined it was a homicide.
“Based on updates from the Virginia State Police in the Rolin Hill case, deputies of the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office involved in this incident are no longer employees of the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office," Holcomb said in a statement.
The Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office said that on June 4, Hill was arrested on trespassing, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct charges. Holcomb previously told 13News Now Hill was "uncooperative and combative" while being booked into jail and was restrained for "his safety and the safety of the arresting officers and jail deputies."
He suffered a medical emergency a short time later and was taken to the hospital, where he died days later. Virginia State Police (VSP) at the time said Holcomb asked that they investigate Hill's arrest and booking process.
Once VSP's review is done, the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's Office will do a final review and adjudication. A spokesperson with the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney said on Friday that the office is awaiting the final report from VSP before deciding to pursue any possible charges.
"We ask for the public's patience throughout our continued investigation and will share an update at the conclusion of our review," the spokesperson said.
The Virginia Beach NAACP also released a statement on Friday, which read in part, "We await the final findings of the report and hope that those who participated in this crime will be held accountable up to the fullest extent of the law. We continue to stand with the family of Rolin Hill and call for justice and transparency."