Inmate dies in Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, Richland County officials say

An inmate died at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on Tuesday night, according to Richland County officials.

Robert Levan Moore, a 56-year-old Columbia resident, is the inmate who died at the jail in Columbia, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Wednesday.

At about 6 p.m. Tuesday, a nurse at the jail discovered the inmate “unresponsive in his cell during a medical pass,” officials said.

The jail’s on-site medical team responded and began life-saving measures to revive the inmate, but were unsuccessful, according to the release.

The inmate did not have a cellmate, officials said.

The coroner’s office has not announced a cause of death, but is investigating the incident, officials said.

Moore was arrested June 27 on a charge of trespassing (entering premises after warning or refusing to leave on request), Richland County court records show. His bond was set at $465 and he was scheduled to return to court on July 15, according to judicial records.

The Richland County jail has drawn criticism for years because of deaths, violence, poor conditions and understaffing. In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it was opening an investigation into whether conditions at the jail violated inmate’s civil rights.

For their part, the Richland County administrators maintain that they are continuing to make progress on improving conditions at the jail.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.