Gary “Mike” Madeux

Photograph of Gary Mike Madeux, obtained from Sharla Whitty’s GoFundMe fundraiser.

“Mike’s life Matters.”

Words from Gary Michael “Mike” Madeaux’s sister, Sharla Whitty, reflect his family’s deep care for him, a reality in stark contrast with the state of California’s utter neglect of his needs and humanity. After being released from San Quentin State Prison on July 28, 2020, Gary tragically passed away on August 8 at 56 years old.

Because Teri Sue Madeux, Gary’s mother, was young when he was born, she feels a unique kinship with her son. She remembers in an interview with KBIX, “I was 16 when I had him so we grew up together.” In a GoFundMe posted by his sister Sharla, she describes her brother as “a kind of heart, Loving person and Very giving. If you needed help he would offer his assistance.”

Gary spent most of his life in Jacksonville, Florida and accumulated extensive experience in the printing industry. In 2013, he moved across the country to Santa Rosa, a city in northern California. But his life was majorly disrupted when he was incarcerated in July 2017, leaving him cut off from society and thousands of miles from his family’s home.

Gary was particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because he had diabetes, one of the underlying conditions that create the highest risks for experiencing severe illness. Additionally, because San Quentin staff refused to accommodate his dietary needs for his diabetes, he was in poor health and hardly ate, according to his cellmate. In June 2020 — shortly after the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (CDCR) remarkably transferred dozens of men to San Quentin with COVID-19 — Gary contracted the virus. Luckily, he recovered. And on July 28, after testing negative twice for the virus, he was released into freedom.

Photograph of Gary, obtained from Crime Voice.

Except “freedom” is hardly an appropriate term to describe the treatment Gary endured upon his release. What should have been a joyful development became his demise due to the government’s medical neglect and lack of accountability.

Gary was released into a hotel room, where he was supposed to quarantine for 14 days under a CDCR program called Project Hope. CDCR describes Project Hope as providing “wraparound services” such as free transportation to the hotel, three meals delivered everyday, and staff “available 24/7 to resolve any issues.” 

But as Gary waited in his Marion County hotel room, no food arrived. Not on Tuesday, not on Wednesday, and not on Thursday. Without having received a meter, he could not measure his blood sugar levels. On Friday, he left his hotel room and spoke to the news outlet KBIX. He reported that he was “shaking because I haven’t had any food” in days, so he had to break his quarantine to go to the grocery store. And despite Project Hope’s claims, when Mike called the phone number to seek assistance he did not reach anyone and could not even leave a message.

Officials in Marion County claimed “he just wasn't on our radar screen because there was a gap in communication.” In other words, the service providers did not know he was staying in the hotel until they somehow found out on Friday and delivered his first meal that evening, on his fourth day in their care.

While Gary waited out the rest of his quarantine, his health deteriorated, but the precise series of events remains unknown. Soon after he told his sister on the phone that he had blacked out in his hotel room, the family learned that he had been found there on August 9 having passed away. “He died with his charger cord for his ankle bracelet in his hand,” Sharla told KBIX.

Gary’s life was taken far too soon. His family is demanding answers that are not forthcoming. When he was found, there were no clear signs of the cause of death, but Marion County has refused to complete a formal autopsy. Instead, after Gary tested positive for COVID-19 during the brief examination following his death (which can happen up to several months after someone contracts the virus, even if they have fully recovered), officials recorded the cause of death as COVID-19 and seem to have moved on.

But Gary’s family has not moved on. His sister Sharla has created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to complete a private autopsy and transport Gary’s body to the east coast, where his mom still lives. On the GoFundMe, Sharla explains that Gary’s family rejects the notion that he died of COVID-19. She writes, “This is the Justice that we seek as his family. We want true cause of death and those responsible to ensure it does not happen again. He has family that loves him and want[s] answers.” She says, “He did not deserve to die like this.”

“Mike's life Matters!!! We are heartbroken!”

We mourn his loss.

This memorial was written by MOL team member Eliza Kravitz with information from the GoFundMe organized by Sharla Whitty, the Project Hope program description, and reporting by Andrea Nakano of KPIX, Adrian Rodriguez of Marin Independent Journal, Crime Voice, and Abené Clayton of The Guardian,