Terrell Young
Terrell Young and Marie Hood, from Patch.
Deputy Sheriff Terrell Young, a correctional officer at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in California, passed away from the coronavirus on April 2nd. He is survived by his wife Marie and their four children Cameron, Caleb, Cory, and Olivia. A family man who was passionate about sports, church, and politics, Terrell will be missed by his entire Riverside County community. He was 52 years old.
Terrell met Marie at a club in Riverside when he was 21 years old and still in the Marine Corps, according to reporting by Behind the Badge. That first night, after they talked outside for two hours, Terrell told Marie that he thought they were “destined to meet.” He proposed seven months later.
“You know how you take people's names and make it one?” said Terrell’s younger brother Melvin to Behind the Badge. “Like Benifer? That's Terrell and Marie. Together they became something so unique.”
Together, Terrell and Marie homeschooled their four children in California and spent summers in Terrell’s hometown of Beaumont, Texas. Some nights, the kids would jump into bed and Terrell would read a story out loud. Those who knew him say that Terrell was both a reader and a listener—a thoughtful decision-maker dedicated to service. Involved in their church, Terrell and Marie taught Bible studies to millennial community members.
Terrell with his children, from Patch.
“Terrell was always there for his family,” said his sister-in-law Melissa Holts. “He was always quiet, very cerebral. I didn't know how his brain worked the way it did. But when we got to see his fun side, he would really let it out with a big Santa Claus laugh. He loved talking about church, politics and sports. And if he would hear an injustice or someone in his family not being treated right, he would chime in.”
“My dad's stance was always ‘Do whatever you want, but be passionate about it,’’’ said his son Cameron. “He was very supportive and motivating for all of us.”
Terrell’s intense love for his family stemmed from early losses he suffered at age 12 when his grandfather, grandmother, and mother all died within a short span of time. Terrell was eleven years older than his brother Melvin. Growing up, Melvin slept most nights in Terrell’s bed.
“Terrell was my sense of normalcy,” Melvin said. “He was a comforting spirit that when he was around, I felt okay. We had a rough start.”
Terrell and Marie, from the GoFundMe page for his memorial expenses.
Before serving with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Terrell tried his hand at a handful of different jobs, ranging from electrical work to brokering stocks to recruiting for colleges. When he was 37, he joined law enforcement. He graduated from the police academy in 2006.
The president of the Riverside Sheriff’s Association, of which Terrell was a board member, said that Terrell was “a great guy, always willing to step up and help.” In 2018, the Sheriff’s Southwest Station recognized him for Unwavering Integrity and Faithful Service.
Terrell is believed to have contracted COVID-19 at work when he escorted a sick incarcerated person from his cell to a nearby medical center on March 16th. He developed symptoms six days later and passed on the virus to his wife and children. All of them have recovered from the sickness.
“It's all just so surreal,” Melvin said. "It's going to take a long time to get over. You just get to the point where you don't have any more tears. All I know is that I just wish he was here."
This memorial was written by MOL team member Andrew Kornfeld based on reporting by Behind the Badge on Patch, Richard K. De Atley of The Press-Enterprise, and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde of the LA Times.