March 1, 2023


MASON CITY, Iowa - At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, Cerro Gordo County Jail staff discovered jail inmate Lamar Anderson unresponsive in his cell. Life saving measures were initiated and Anderson was transported to Mercy Hospital in Mason City, where he was pronounced dead. 

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office has asked the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to conduct an independent investigation into Anderson’s death. The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner has performed an autopsy. Results of the autopsy are pending toxicology. The investigation is on-going.  
 

ABOUT THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) is the largest law enforcement agency in the state. It includes six divisions and several bureaus, all working together with local, state and federal government agencies and the private sector, to keep Iowa a safe place by following our core values: leadership, integrity, professionalism, courtesy, service and protection. Divisions within the Iowa DPS: Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Fire Marshal Division, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, and Administrative Services Division. The Department of Public Safety is led by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Governor.

Iowa Department of Public Safety
215 E 7th St
Des Moines IA 50319
https://dps.iowa.gov