A former Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy who died of suicide in May had illegal drugs in his system, according to autopsy records.
Former deputy Ramon "Charley" Armendariz's activities have triggered broader questions about potential wrongdoing in the sheriff’s office's Human Smuggling Unit.
Days before Armendariz's death, sheriff’s officers made a surprising discovery in his garage: They found drugs, hundreds of IDs, license plates and videos Armendariz had filmed of traffic stops.
In the days that followed, Armendariz was arrested and resigned from the sheriff's office, where he was part of the Human Smuggling Unit. In an interview with MCSO investigators, he said other colleagues were also responsible for the IDs in his garage.
The items found in Armendariz's posession prompted a federal judge overseeing the sheriff's office to question whether Armendariz was involved in shaking down immigrants.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner ruled Armendariz's death a suicide. An autopsy report released last month said he was found with "suicide type notes" and gifts for friends and relatives.
A toxicology report found Armendariz had methamphetamine in his system when he died, as well as prescription medication.
The federal judge, Murray Snow, has been dissatisfied with the sheriff’s internal investigation in the wake of this, and has broadened the powers of the court appointed monitor to investigate.
Last month, lawyers for the sheriff's office revealed they had discovered additional collections of IDs and license plates that may have been seized by other members of the Human Smuggling Unit.