FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — A registered sex offender facing multiple criminal charges for allegedly violating his registration by securing jobs with access to children multiple times has died while in custody, according to newly obtained investigative documents.
Douglas Ehmke died at a local hospital following what investigators describe as a fatal accident inside the medical wing of the Lee County Jail facility in downtown Fort Myers.
The tragic turn of events effectively closes a months-long WINK Investigates inquiry into how Ehmke managed to bypass background checks to work around children.
A Fatal Fall Behind Bars
According to police reports obtained by WINK Investigates, the incident occurred on the evening of May 21. Investigators state that Ehmke was alone in his cell waiting to receive his daily medications when he lost his balance, fell backward, and struck his head on the concrete floor.
Medical staff attempted life-saving measures, and Ehmke was rushed to a nearby hospital. He remained there for 13 days before succumbing to his injuries on June 3.
Because the investigation into the in-custody death remains active, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office declined an interview. However, internal documents reviewable at this stage indicate that authorities do not suspect foul play or suicide.
Lapses in Child Protection Exposed
Ehmke’s death marks the abrupt conclusion to a deeply concerning case that raised serious questions about local loophole vulnerabilities in child safety.
WINK Investigates first broke the story in March, exposing how Ehmke was facing multiple felony charges after prosecutors discovered he had been working for several months with the Fort Myers chapter of i9 Sports, a youth sports league.
The timeline of alleged violations only grew from there:
March: Initial exposure of Ehmke’s employment with i9 Sports.
April: Prosecutors leveled additional felony charges after discovering Ehmke had also gained employment at Castle Golf, a local miniature golf establishment frequented by families and children.
While awaiting trial, Ehmke penned a letter to the presiding judge pleading for leniency. In the letter, he revealed a diagnosis of schizophrenia, writing, “I feel jail or prison would mess me up more.”
Both I9 Sports and Castle Golf at the time sent statements to WINK Investigates after the discovery of Ehmke’s history.
“Mr. Ehmke was hired for a part-time, five-week role more than a year ago and has not been affiliated with our organization since that time. Following a review of this matter, we determined that our standard hiring protocols were not fully followed for that short-term position. We have since taken steps to reinforce our processes to ensure that all hires — regardless of duration — undergo appropriate screening. The safety, well-being and trust of our customers remain our highest priority,” Castle Golf said.
I9 Sports sent us the following statement back in March:
“Thank you for your inquiry. The individual in question was an independent contractor umpire with a local i9 Sports independently owned and operated franchise in the Fort Myers area. This role was limited to officiating games during league play. This individual is no longer affiliated with the league or any i9 Sports programs.
The safety and well-being of the children and families in i9 Sports programs is our highest priority. i9 Sports policies require background checks for all staff and event personnel, and we expect franchise operators to strictly adhere to these policies.
We have cooperated with local authorities and are conducting a thorough internal review to ensure policies are consistently followed and to reinforce best practices across all i9 Sports programs.
At this time, we are not participating in on-camera interviews regarding this matter.”
Cases to be Formally Closed
Ehmke had maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to all charges brought against him. Because of his passing, the State Attorney’s Office is expected to officially dismiss and close the pending criminal cases.
Attempts to reach Ehmke’s public defender for comment were unsuccessful, we reached out to multiple relatives but did not hear back.
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