San Jose woman charged with killing inmate in Redwood City jail

(KRON) — A 34-year-old San Jose woman was charged with second-degree murder this week for the death of a San Mateo County jail inmate who died from a drug overdose.

Ashley “Ashly” Jo Gromnicki made her first court appearance on Tuesday and she did not enter a plea.

According to prosecutors, Gromnicki sold fentanyl to another female inmate in Maple Street Correctional Center in Redwood City.

Inmate Markeisha Monique Renee Blount, 31, was found dead from a suspected fentanyl overdose inside a jail cell on Sept. 29, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Jail personnel administered Narcan and unsuccessfully attempted to save her. The victim was in a jail cell with seven other females and fentanyl was located in the cell,” the district attorney’s office wrote.

Gromnicki has a long criminal record in Santa Clara County, court records show, with multiple prior convictions for drug possession. During one of her arrests, police officers warned Gromnicki about the dangers of fentanyl and providing it to other users, prosecutors said.

On Tuesday, San Mateo County Judge Lisa Novak ordered Gromnicki to remain in custody without bail. She is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Oct. 23.

Sheriff Christina Corpus said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Markeisha’s family and loved ones during this unimaginable time. Fentanyl is a highly dangerous drug. Even the smallest amount can be deadly.”

The drugs that killed Blount had been smuggled into the jail, investigators said.

The sheriff’s office said it uses several security measures to prevent people from smuggling illicit drugs into its jails, including body scanning machines, K-9 units, and rules for visitors.

Just one day after Blount fatally overdosed, an ex-inmate entered Maple Street Correctional Center with drugs and attempted to visit a current inmate, according to the sheriff’s office. The former inmate and parolee was identified by the sheriff as 27-year-old Brian E. Siordia of San Jose.

Deputies saw Siordia in the jail’s lobby and arrested him for being on the premises without legal authorization. After his arrest, Siordia was found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamine and a cell phone concealed in his shoe, the sheriff’s office said.

Siordia remained behind bars at Maguire Correctional Facility jail as of Wednesday afternoon, inmate records show.