A Nevada coroner’s office ruled that an inmate who was pepper-sprayed, shackled and restrained with his face to the ground was killed by prison guards.
An autopsy report revealed that 39-year-old Patrick Odale’s death at the Southern Desert Correctional Center on Dec. 28, 2023 was ruled a homicide, The Associated Press reported.
The autopsy report was finalized in late August after a nearly nine-month investigation by the Clark County coroner’s office into Odale’s death at the mostly medium security prison near Las Vegas.
The report said Odale died of “positional and mechanical asphyxia in the setting of law enforcement restraint.”
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(This undated image provided by Amy Estrada shows Patrick Odale in North Las Vegas, Nevada. (Amy Estrada via AP))
Oregon-based forensic pathology expert Michael Freeman, who was not involved in the investigation, told The Associated Press “mechanical and positional asphyxia” typically happens when someone is restrained face down with their hands behind their back, while pressure is placed on their torso, arms or neck.
The report also noted that Odale had low levels of methamphetamine and xylazine, an animal sedative, in his system, which the coroner’s office described as a “major contributor” to his death.
When the Nevada Department of Corrections announced Odale’s death in a January news release, it did not reveal details suggesting the inmate was restrained.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Nevada Department of Corrections for comment.
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Patrick Odale died at the Southern Desert Correctional Center in Nevada on Dec. 28, 2023. (Google Maps)
The agency told The Associated Press it had no comment because the matter is still an “active investigation.”
It is not clear how many officers were involved in Odale’s death, if any of the officers were disciplined, or how Odale was able to gain access to drugs while in custody.
In May, a corrections officer was arrested as part of the agency’s so-called “crack down on contraband,” after allegedly bringing cigarettes, lighters, cellphones, vape pens, tobacco and liquid spice into the facility, court records obtained by The AP show.
Odale was sentenced in early 2023 to up to two years in prison for being in possession of a stolen credit card and attempting to carry a concealed weapon.
The night that he died, officers reported that Odale was “erratic and growling” at them, the autopsy showed.
The report said the guards pepper-sprayed Odale and put him in a storage room with yard tools for several minutes until he started “thrashing in the room.”
Officers then allegedly pulled him to the ground, restrained him and took him to the prison infirmary.
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The Clark County Coroner’s Office reported that Narcan was administered to Patrick Odale several times before he died. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
During the ordeal, medical and prison staff administered Narcan to Odale several times.
The coroner’s office reviewed video of the incident in order to determine the cause and manner of death, and the autopsy report indicates there could be a gap in the video footage.
The medical examiner said the footage shows Odale groaning as he is taken to the infirmary. Odale was also seen face-down with his hands shackled behind his back.
Then, the medical examiner said, “after a gap, video coverage resumes,” and staff is seen performing CPR on Odale, who was unresponsive.
“When the video resumes, the inmate is face-up with hands shackled anteriorly,” the autopsy stated, meaning that his hands were no longer shackled behind him but were in front of his body.
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Odale was pronounced dead shortly after.
The medical examiner ruled that Odale died because he was restrained in a way that prevented him from breathing, along with the effects of recent drug use.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mojave (Nev.) head football coach Wes Pacheco announced on Sunday morning that he’s stepping down from his position, according to a social media post.
Pacheco announced his resignation after six seasons at the helm of the Rattlers, putting together a 29-22 overall record from 2020-2025.
“I have officially stepped down as Head Coach of the Mojave Football Program,” Pacheco said in his social media post. “Thank you to Principal Cole for giving me the opoortunity make an impact on the lives of Mojave Student-Athletes. I am grateful and blessed to have labored through a 6-year journey of successes, failures, life lessons, character building and growth with the student-athletes myself and my coaching staff have served. I will forever love my Mojave Family, the Mojave Community and believe in the notion that SUCCESS can be attained by showcasing character, treating everyone with respect, and always have the courage to dream big and trust that “ATTACKING THE HARD WORK” & “HIGH MOTORING EVERYTHING” can yield SUCCESS that you want to achieve in life!”
During Pacheco’s half dozen seasons leading Mojave, his best record came in the 2024 season when the Rattlers finished with a 12-1 record. Located out of North Las Vegas, Mojave had to compete against the likes of national high school football powerhouse Bishop Gorman during the regular season.
Mojave ended the last season with a 4-6 record and as the state’s No. 23rd ranked team, according to the final 2025 Nevada High School Football Massey Rankings.
Mojave High School, located in North Las Vegas, NV, is a dynamic public high school that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and community involvement. Home of the Rattlers, MHS offers a wide range of academic programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities. With a strong commitment to student success, Mojave emphasizes leadership, college and career readiness, and a supportive school culture that prepares students for life beyond graduation.
For Nevada high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Silver State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across Nevada.
A recent Review-Journal letter to the editor mischaracterized Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, also known as the Clark County Lands bill. As the former executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, I wholeheartedly support this legislation, so I wanted to set the record straight.
Sen. Cortez Masto has been working on this bill for years in partnership with state and local governments, conservation groups like the NCL and local area tribes. It’s true that the Clark County lands bill would open 25,000 acres to help Las Vegas grow responsibly, while setting aside 2 million acres for conservation. It would also help create more affordable housing throughout the valley while ensuring our treasured public spaces can be preserved for generations to come.
What is not correct is that the money from these land sales would go to the federal government’s coffers. In fact, the opposite is true.
The 1998 Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act is a landmark bill that identified specific public land for future sale and created a special account ensuring all land sale revenues would come back to Nevada. In accordance with that law 5 percent of revenue from land transfers goes to the state of Nevada for general education purposes, 10 percent goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for needed water infrastructure and 85 percent supports conservation and environmental mitigation projects in Southern Nevada. This legislation has provided billions to Clark County and will continue to benefit generations of Southern Nevadans. Sen. Cortez Masto’s lands bill builds upon the act’s success.
So here’s the good news: All of the money generated from land made available for sale under Sen. Cortez Masto’s bill would be sent to the special account created by the 1998 law. Rather than going to an unaccountable federal government, the proceeds would continue to help kids in Vegas get a better education, bolster outdoor recreation and modernize Southern Nevada’s infrastructure.
I know how important it is that money generated from the sale of public land in Nevada stay in the hands of Nevadans, and so does the senator. That’s why she opposed a Republican effort last year to sell off 200,000 acres of land in Clark County and other areas of the country that would have sent those dollars directly to Washington.
Public land management in Nevada should benefit Nevadans. We should protect sacred cultural sites and beloved recreation spaces, responsibly transfer land for affordable housing when needed and ensure our state has the resources it needs to grow sustainably. I will continue working with Sen. Cortez Masto to advocate for legislation, such as the Clark County lands bill, that puts the needs of Nevadans first.
Paul Selberg writes from Las Vegas.
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Las Vegas High’s baseball team claimed a 3-2 home win over Coronado on Friday.
Las Vegas (9-13-1) next hosts Rancho at 10 a.m. Saturday. Coronado (13-14) hosts Chaparral at 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
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