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Dennis DiGenova Jr.

Gender : Male

Age : 73

Race : White

Date : 04/08/2023

Location : Marion County Jail

City : Ocala

County : Marion

State : Florida

Agency : Marion County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) :Deputies Daniel Trammell, Joseph Spratlin, and Sgt. Donald Buemi

Cause of Death : Asphyxiation

Event : Asphyxiated during/after police assault in jail

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On April 8, 2023, Dennis DiGenova Jr., a 73-year-old Navy veteran, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and booked into the Marion County Jail. During the booking process, DiGenova became uncooperative and resisted deputies' instructions. Deputies Daniel Trammell and Joseph Spratlin, along with Sgt. Donald Buemi, restrained DiGenova by placing him in a prone position on the floor while applying pressure to his back and legs. After approximately 15 minutes, deputies noticed DiGenova was unresponsive and initiated life-saving measures. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be positional asphyxia. In April 2025, DiGenova's family filed a federal lawsuit against Sheriff Billy Woods and the involved deputies, alleging excessive use of force and failure to provide adequate medical care. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted an investigation into the incident, and the State Attorney's Office declined to file criminal charges against the deputies.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.ocalagazette.com/family-of-killed-inmate-sues-marion-county-sheriff-and-deputies/
https://www.ocalagazette.com/details-into-the-2023-death-of-an-elderly-veteran-in-the-marion-county-jail/