Benton County Sheriff Shawn Holloway is facing public scrutiny after allegations surfaced regarding his office’s handling of the death of a female inmate last month.
According to a viral social media post by Trent Reicks, Holloway and his department have refused to acknowledge the inmate’s passing publicly and have allegedly withheld crucial information from the public.
Reicks’ post, which includes an email to Sheriff Holloway, criticizes the department for boasting about their February statistics on Facebook while remaining silent on the death of Allegra Warnick, a 29-year-old mother of three who died in their custody.
The letter further accuses the department of hiding behind Arkansas Code 25-19-105—citing an “open investigation”—to avoid releasing information about the incident, despite the fact that the victim’s remains have already been returned to her family.
The allegations suggest a pattern of secrecy and lack of accountability within the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Reicks states that when the media inquired about the incident, the department initially denied any knowledge of an in-custody death. Only after repeated inquiries did officials acknowledge that the woman had passed away after being transported to a hospital.
“This is a facility where every interaction should be documented,” Reicks wrote in his email to Holloway. “Yet when asked for records, your staff advised it was an ongoing investigation and that they were investigating internally.”
Reicks has demanded full disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), including video footage of the inmate’s interactions with staff, internal emails, logs, and notes from the facility regarding the case. He also issued a strong warning that if transparency is not provided, he will push for Holloway’s resignation.
The post has ignited outrage on social media, with many questioning the treatment of inmates and the level of accountability within Benton County law enforcement. Benton County, like many other jurisdictions, has been criticized in the past for its handling of inmate deaths and allegations of misconduct within the jail system.
As of now, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office has not issued a public statement regarding the accusations. Calls for an independent investigation into the incident are growing, with many demanding justice for the deceased inmate and her family.
This remains a developing story. Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available.
