HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla — A Hernando County inmate was charged with second-degree murder after killing another inmate in an alleged unprovoked attack.
Jory Linn Van Antwerp, 49, was booked into the Hernando County Jail on January 4. According to Sheriff Al Nienhuis, Van Antwerp was receiving medical treatment for a serious medical issue before he was in jail. Antwerp was placed in the jail's medical unit due to his ongoing treatments.
William Harrison Gillespie, 35, was booked into jail on June 4 after being arrested for felony battery. Harrison was involved in two fights in jail on June 9 and 10 and was placed in the medical wing as a result of being injured from the second fight, according to Sheriff Nienhuis.
Video released by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office shows Gillespie being called by a detention deputy from his cell in the medical wing at around 10 a.m. on June 14. HCSO says that Gillespie was being called from his cell to be questioned about his involvement in the previous fights. While leaving his cell, Gillespie kicked Van Antwerp, who was lying down in his bed in the medical wing, in the head. Van Antwerp was examined by the deputy and looked over by medical personnel. Deputies and medical staff believed he was fine. Van Antwerp also seemed fine the next day, according to Sheriff Nienhuis. But on the night of June 15, Van Antwerp's health deteriorated. A scan of his head was done, and he had a brain bleed. Van Antwerp died a day and a half after the initial kick to the head, according to Sheriff Nienhuis. An autopsy was performed and confirmed that Van Antwerp died of a brain bleed and not his ongoing medical condition.
"We did not have any indication that he just unprovoked would start attacking people. That is why it was a surprise to us, along with the other inmates in there," said Nienhuis.
Nienhuis said there was no indication that the suspect knew about the charges against Van Antwerp or had any kind of relationship with him.
Gillespie has been charged with second-degree murder.
