Coroner: Man in custody died from heart attack

A Wonder Lake man who died while in Barrington police custody on July 5 was the victim of a heart attack, the Lake County coroner has determined.

Dennis John "D.J." Russell, 28, was found unresponsive in his cell at the Barrington police station at about 10:30 p.m. that day. He reportedly had declined medical attention after a bout of vomiting in his cell at about 4:45 p.m. the same day.

Lake County Coroner Richard Keller said no evidence of trauma but some evidence of heart disease was discovered during his autopsy. A recently concluded toxicology test determined there were no drugs or substances in his bloodstream that could have contributed to his death.

Russell's grandmother, Gail Patterson of Portage, Wis., said his mother, Nora Mowers, had hired an attorney in her pursuit of answers regarding her son's death.

Mowers declined to comment Wednesday but referred questions to her attorney, who couldn't be immediately reached.

In addition to the coroner's investigation, Barrington police also invited in the Lake County Sheriff's office to conduct a probe of the circumstances surrounding it.

Russell was brought to the station on the night of July 4 after he was picked up by another department on a warrant for felony retail theft in Barrington. He died approximately 24 hours later while still in custody.

Barrington Acting Police Chief Jerry Libit said visual checks on prisoners are made every half-hour. There had not been anything strange or suspicious about Russell's condition between the time of his vomiting on the afternoon of July 5 and his being found unresponsive during the 10:30 p.m. check.

Everyone taken into custody is asked standard medical questions to determine whether they have any medical problems or need for medication that would require them to be treated with extra care. Libit said Russell's responses did not call his health into question and he did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.