COLUMBIA, S.C. — Six days after a man was taken into custody in connection with a series of alleged robberies and sexual assaults, investigators say he has died in jail.
A Richland County spokesperson confirmed to News19 on Saturday that 29-year-old Antonius Donshe Randolph had been taken into custody on Jan. 21 and was being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center where he was found dead on Friday.
No details related to how he died or whether foul play is suspected have been released.
County officials said in a statement that they were saddened to learn of Randolph's death and offered their heartfelt condolences to his family.
Randolph is now the third person to have died at the county-operated jail facility in just under a year. The most recent before him occurred on Dec. 7 when 38-year-old James W. Mitchell of Columbia was found dead.
And, in February of 2021, another inmate, 27-year-old Lason Butler or Orangeburg was found in his cell dead.
The news of Randolph's death comes just days after the Richland County Sheriff's Department, which is now investigating the death along with the coroner's office, announced his arrest in connection with five sexual assault and robbery cases that they believe he committed.
The crimes in question began in November of 2021 and continued into January 2023. He was eventually identified as a suspect in the case and spotted by a deputy walking down the street near where previous attacks had happened.
The sheriff's department said he was in possession of a knife, ski mask, and what they described as "adult items."
Sheriff Leon Lott said following the arrest that Randolph's arrest "no doubt" prevented another assault that weekend.
"This monster seemed to be increasing how often he was preying on unsuspecting women," he said.
The sheriff asked any other victims in the community, even if they don't report the assaults, to contact Pathways to Healing to get access to important resources. The organization has a 24-hour hotline that can be reached at 803-771-7273.
