Details emerge in death while in police custody
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, January 5th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
KENNEWICK – Initial autopsy indications for Reno Casanova, 23, indicate he had 1, 1-difluoroethylene in his body. He died after being taken into custody by the Kennewick Police Department. That substance is commonly used as an aerosol propellant for various products.
Officers were responding to a welfare check call at the Starbucks on West 27th Avenue when Casanova was seen rolling around inside his vehicle. The police placed him in a KPD vehicle, believing that he was using an illegal substance.
The Benton County Coroner’s Office has not yet determined the cause of death. The unit investigating the death report there were no obvious injuries, indicating that to be consistent with the involved offers’ statements that no force was used in taking Casanova into custody.
The Special Investigations Unit takes over investigations when a person is either seriously injured or die in custody in Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla counties. The lead investigators in this case are from the Richland and Pasco police departments. The final report from the coroner’s office has not yet been released.
