Franklin County jail lieutenant found dead at home

A criminal justice veteran who oversaw daily operations of the Franklin County jail died at home on Monday.

Patrick J. Reninger, a lieutenant with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, was found at his Kennewick home on the 6600 block of West Fourth Place. He was 40.

No foul play is suspected, said Benton County Coroner John Hansens.

An autopsy will be conducted Wednesday because of his age and lack of medical history, Hansens said.

Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond said Reninger came to the sheriff's office from the Washington Department of Corrections, where he also held the rank of lieutenant.

He held various positions in western Washington and worked for the prison system for almost 20 years before joining the sheriff's office about two years ago.

He said Reninger was an integral to the department's work to modernize the jail and train staff.

"He was just a great human being who served the people of Franklin County with honor," Raymond said.

According to Reninger's Facebook page, he was originally from Yelm and served in the Army as an infantryman.

Reninger and his wife have four children, including a daughter born in September.

Services are expected to be held in western Washington.

This story was originally published May 29, 2018 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Franklin County jail lieutenant found dead at home."