Officer cleared of wrongdoing in alleged rape

4-1-2010 Georgia:

A Dalton police officer who committed suicide last year just hours after being accused of raping a woman has been cleared of all wrongdoing, authorities said Wednesday.

Robert Paul Sparks, 54, was in the Dalton Police Services Center on Jones Street when he shot himself near daybreak on the Saturday morning of Jan. 10, 2009. While on duty earlier that morning, he had responded to a Whitfield 911 call at 1:30 a.m. of two women fighting at the Oyster Bar at 2206 Chattanooga Road, and went with one of the women, Frankie Diane Cross, to her room at the Guest Inn behind the restaurant to retrieve her identification. Sparks was accused by Cross of rape in a call to 911 at 3:22 a.m.

District Attorney Kermit McManus said the police department asked him to evaluate the completed Georgia Bureau of Investigation report, and he found “insufficient evidence” to prove Sparks “engaged in criminal sexual activity.” He also said there was not enough evidence to charge Cross with making false statements, although it was “clear,” he said, that she made statements that are “false as they are inconsistent with other statements made.”

Vivian Sparks, the mother of Paul Sparks, said the death of her son and ensuing investigation have been “awful” for her family to bear.

“Before, it just seemed he was guilty before anybody knew any of the circumstances,” she said of the lengthy investigation. “Even though he’s been found (to have done) no wrongdoing, nothing’s going to be done to her. I think that is wrong that no one is held responsible.”

Sparks said the wait for the findings has been “terrible” for her and especially her 27-year-old grandson, Sparks’ son.

Sex offender dies after taking pills

March 2009 Minnesota:

RED WING - A Red Wing sex offender charged with possessing child pornography died Wednesday of an apparent suicide.

Red Wing police Chief Tim Sletten said officers were called at 7:09 p.m. Monday to 425 22nd St., where a man was reportedly unresponsive after taking a large amount of pills.
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Officers found Bobby Varnado at the residence and he was transported to a medical facility. The 39-year-old died Wednesday at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.

"It is unfortunate any time a person takes their own life," said Assistant Goodhue County Attorney Erin Kuester. "We will focus on offering counseling and mental health services for the victims and their family members."

State must do more to prevent prison suicides

All suicides mentioned occurred in DECEMBER a bad time for inmates.

1-6-2009 Michigan:

A new administrator charged with improving Michigan's dysfunctional prison health care system has a lot on her plate in 2009, but looking into prison suicides must become an immediate priority.

Three state prisoners committed suicide within one week during late December -- as many as committed suicide in all of 2007. The Michigan Department of Corrections must ensure that prison staff are trained to spot signs of dangerous depression and know when to make appropriate referrals to mental health professionals. Ensuring such training and competence falls squarely on the department's health care quality assurance administrator -- a new position that reports directly to MDOC Director Patricia Caruso.

An estimated one in four of Michigan's nearly 50,000 inmates is mentally ill, increasing the risks of suicide. Those risks naturally increase during periods of stress, including the holidays, parole denials, initial incarceration, or following a return to prison.

Inmate with suicide history poisons self and dies

8-11-2009 Wisconsin:

A 41-year-old Milwaukee man who had a history of trying to commit suicide by drinking cleaning fluids died last month, two days after he drank rubbing alcohol at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility, where he was incarcerated and worked as a janitor.

Officials at the detention facility were aware of Myron Christopher Weston's suicidal history when he volunteered to work as a janitor, a job he began in April, said John Dipko, spokesman for the state Department of Corrections.

Weston was "showing positive adjustment during his time (at the Secure Detention Facility) and preparing for his release into the community," Dipko wrote in an e-mail.

Weston's death has been ruled a suicide, according to a Milwaukee County medical examiner's report.

An autopsy determined Weston died of acute isopropyl alcohol intoxication.

Weston, who suffered from schizoaffective disorder and was taking six medications, reported on the day he was admitted to the facility in January that he had tried to kill himself about six times by drinking cleaning fluids and taking pills, the report says.

None of the previous suicide attempts occurred at the detention facility or any other state-run prison, Dipko said.

It was not clear Tuesday where or when the other suicide attempts took place. A woman who answered Tuesday at a phone number listed to Weston's mother declined to comment.

The Milwaukee County district attorney's office is investigating Weston's death, which is standard procedure whenever a person dies while in custody, District Attorney John T. Chisholm said.

Investigators have found no signs of foul play and are focusing on whether any procedural or communications changes should be implemented, Chisholm said.

An internal review of Weston's death also is under way, Dipko said.

Weston was admitted to the detention facility on Jan. 7 because of a probation violation and was scheduled to be released Sept. 21, Dipko said.

Weston was unresponsive, in shock and suffering from liver failure when he was rushed to Aurora Sinai Medical Center the morning of July 26, according to the medical examiner's report.

He was placed on a ventilator but died July 28.

Weston may have become depressed after his girlfriend broke up with him over the phone July 18 and blocked her phone number from receiving his calls, according to the report.

According to online court records, Weston's criminal history included convictions for theft and substantial battery, both felonies, and having sex with a child who was between the ages of 16 and 18, a misdemeanor.

Weston's mother told investigators she did not think her son tried to commit suicide because he was looking forward to being released, according to the medical examiner's report. ..Source.. by Ryan Haggerty of the Journal Sentinel

Ex-Jailer Who Faced Sex Charge Found Dead In Texas

10-7-2009 Texas:

A former county jailer was who accused of sexual misconduct with female inmates has been found shot to death in Texas.

TEXARKANA, Ark. (October 7, 2009)--A former Miller County, Ark. jailer who was facing a charge of sexual misconduct with female inmates has been found shot to death in Texas.

The body of Patrick Drake, 55, was found outside a tire store in Bowie County about 8 a.m. Tuesday with a gunshot wound to the head, authorities said.

Sheriff's Capt. Jeff Neal said it appears the wound was self-inflicted.

Drake was due in court Tuesday for a pretrial hearing on a third-degree sexual assault charge.

Drake was fired and arrested in December when allegations surfaced that he and another guard had inappropriate sexual contact with female inmates in November at the Miller County jail.

Drake had maintained his innocence at earlier court hearings and his attorney said he was prepared to take the case to trial. ..Source.. by KWTX.com

Triple murder followed fight in Clarksville

Posted in Related Deaths

3-28-2010 Tennessee:

The smiling faces of Diamin Shanklin, 8, and Paul-Nellom Vullo, 3, greet their grandmother Linda Shelton every morning as she looks at her bedroom dresser scattered with their pictures, angel figurines and candles.

Every day Shelton, 62, lights a candle. Often she sobs, knowing that the pictures are all she has left of Diamin, Paul and her daughter Natalie.

Among the memorabilia is a blue urn filled with the ashes of her 30-year-old daughter, Natalie Ann Vullo, who, along with her children, was found murdered inside her Cal Court home on Feb. 20, 2009.

Gerrard E. Robinson, 31, a man with whom Vullo had had a sexual relationship, was charged with the murders. He later confessed to strangling Vullo and her children.

Houston Sheriff: Suspected Child Molester Commits Suicide

12-9-2009 Georgia:

The Houston County sheriff's office says a suspected child molester shot and killed himself Thursday.

Sgt. Joe Middlebrooks said 45-year-old Edmund Roy Baker Jr. committed suicide as a Houston deputy arrived at his home to serve a warrant on child-molestation charges.

It happened around 1:25 p.m. Thursday at 121 S. Tamie Circle in Kathleen.

He was taken to the Medical Center of Central Georgia, where he died.

The GBI is investigating the shooting, because it happened when a deputy was present. ..Source.. by 13WMAZ.com

Inmate hanged himself at Hardee County Jail

2-11-2010 Florida:

HARDEE COUNTY - On December 31, an inmate, while being incarcerated in the Hardee County Jail, committed suicide.

Inmate Romane Bernard Williams (26) took his own life by hanging during the evening hours of New Year's Eve.

CPR was performed by jail staff members until Hardee County EMS arrived. They started performing CPR at 8:48pm and he was pronounced at 9:06pm.

The family of the deceased was notified in Ft. Meade by Hardee County and Polk County Sheriff's Office personnel.

At this time there is a continuing investigation by the Sheriff's Office regarding this incident. Inmate Williams was being held in our jail on the burglary, petty larceny, sexual assault and kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. ..Source.. by My Suncoast.com

Cops: Man kills newlywed wife, then himself

Posted in related deaths

This is a very odd suicide, something is missing. Whatever caused this man to kill his new wife is unknown, but after doing that it is likley he -knowing what prison is like for sex offenders- decided life was not worth living. It is a good thing his wife's daughter was staying elsewhere that night.

11-27-2009 Illinois:

A West Side man apparently shot to death his newlywed wife and then turned the gun on himself, Chicago police said this morning.

Antwone Coleman's body was found first late Thursday night, in the street in the 3300 block of West Monroe Street, a couple of blocks from the couple's residence in the 3400 block of West Madison Street. He had an apparent self-inflicted bullet wound to his head, police said.

As police investigated, they found the body of his wife, Claudette Coleman, 30, in the couple's third-floor Garfield Park apartment with a gunshot wound to her head.

Police came to the apartment about 1:55 a.m.

The couple were married Oct. 10, according to police.

Police said Antwone Coleman, 28, had a criminal record that included convictions for domestic battery and aggravated battery to a police officer. He was also a registered sex offender.

The older brother of Claudette Coleman said this morning that they were shocked to learn of her new husband's lengthy criminal record and said they knew nothing of any possible violence between the couple.

"It was news to us," said a distraught Artis Wilson outside his sister's apartment building in Garfield Park.

Wilson said that the couple had just spent Thanksgiving with family Thursday and that there were no signs of any trouble.

They were as "normal as you can get," Wilson said.

The couple grew up together, but Wilson said the family did not know of Antwone Coleman's criminal history.

Claudette Coleman was the mother of a 10-year-old daughter, Wilson said.

A friend of the family said Claudette Coleman's daughter had stayed with her great grandmother last night. ..Source.. Erika Slife and staff

Inmate apparently commits suicide in Ariz. prison

12-28-2009 Arizona:

FLORENCE - The Arizona Department of Corrections says an inmate has apparently committed suicide at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Eyman at Florence.

He was identified as 47-year-old Monte McCarty.

Department officials say McCarty was pronounced dead shortly before noon Saturday at the Florence prison, some 65 miles southeast of Phoenix.

A spokesman for the department, Bill Lamoreaux, declined to discuss details Monday, saying the death remains under investigation.

McCarty was placed under Department of Corrections custody in June 2008 and was serving a life sentence for sexual conduct with a minor. ..Source.. AP

Sex offender kills himself

12-30-2009 Tennessee:

Police suspected man of paying girl to perform acts

The probe began last week when the 13-year-old girl darted from a couple of curious police investigators and ran for a Citico Street home.

Knoxville Police Department investigators work at a house where a body was found Tuesday at 429 Citico St. Convicted sex offender Robert G. Foxx, 74, killed himself in the house, according to police.

It ended Tuesday in the same house when police found 74-year-old convicted sex offender Robert Grey Foxx dead on his couch, a plastic bag pulled snug over his head.

Police said Foxx committed suicide.

He had been arrested Dec. 21 after an investigation revealed he started two years ago paying an 11-year-old girl for oral sex at least twice a week.

"I charged him with violation of the sex offender law by having a minor in his employ without adult supervision," said Knoxville Police Department Investigator Debra Nuchols.

She said a more serious charge of child rape could have been brought by a grand jury.

Knox County prosecutors usually opt for a grand jury presentment in order to spare child sex victims from testifying repeatedly in court.

Foxx, Nuchols said, seemed unconcerned about the felony charge.

"He was mainly worried about how he would get bonded out of jail," she said. Foxx was released from jail after posting a $10,000 bond.

Nuchols said the probe began Dec. 21 when KPD property crimes investigators Stan Cash and Clayton Madison saw a 13-year-old girl standing alone along Ailor Avenue. At the time, they were investigating thefts in the area.

"When they yelled out to her, she ran straight to his (Foxx's) house," Nuchols said.

Cash and Madison followed the girl and became suspicious when Foxx acted strangely during their inquiries. They ran Foxx's name through the law enforcement computer system and discovered he was a convicted sex offender. They immediately alerted Nuchols, and the investigation was under way.

Nuchols said Foxx told her he met the girl through her mother. He said he was looking for a house cleaner years ago and accidentally dialed the woman in Lonsdale. Despite the accidental contact, the woman, who has three daughters, agreed to clean Foxx's home, Nuchols said.

The woman, however, opted to discontinue the arrangement because Foxx kept trying to show her pornographic videos at his home.

"Mom said it made her feel uncomfortable so she sent her daughter over there," Nuchols said.

For the next two years, Nuchols said, the then 11-year-old girl would catch a KAT bus in Lonsdale and go to Foxx's house at 429 Citico St.

"She would go over to his house every Tuesday and Thursday and sometimes on Saturday, Nuchols said. "She'd get paid $10 a day."

Each day the girl would spend about two hours at Foxx's residence before returning home on another bus.

Nuchols said Foxx denied any improper contact with the girl. He claimed he was having an affair with the girl's mother.

The girl was reluctant to reveal the relationship when questioned, Nuchols said. The girl contended that for the past two years she had been cataloging the library in his home.

"She was really shy about talking about it," the investigator said. "But once she understood she hadn't done anything wrong and wasn't in trouble, she told us what had happened.

"She said he had made her watch pornography and touched her below the waist ... and finally she admitted he forced her to perform oral sex on him."

Nuchols included the state Department of Children's Services in the probe. That agency now has custody of the 13-year-old girl and her two sisters, ages 12 and 14, Nuchols said.

Nuchols said her probe is not closed just because of Foxx's suicide.

"I'd like to get mom on a polygraph to see what she knew," Nuchols said.

As of Wednesday, no charge has been filed against the girl's mother.

"The girl said she never told her mom about what was going on," Nuchols said.

Foxx was convicted in 1991 of gross sexual imposition with a 15-year-old in Columbus, Ohio, records show. He had obtained a doctorate in psychiatry in Ohio before his conviction, said KPD Deputy Chief Gary Price. Upon his release from prison, he came to Knoxville.

Foxx apparently was a renowned chess player, also. He regularly set up a chess board in the food court of West Town Mall to play youngsters. That practice ended in 2007 after the News Sentinel featured Foxx in a picture in a match with a boy at the mall and police alerted mall security of Foxx's status as a registered sex offender.

"After that, he was no longer welcomed at the mall," Price said.

Price said it appears Foxx had attempted to compose a suicide note, but he had not finished the effort.

"Talking to his daughter, he had been putting his affairs in order," Price said. That discussion helped police conclude that Foxx had opted to commit suicide rather than face another stint in prison. ..Source.. by Don Jacobs

Inmate Commits Suicide Despite Warning from Judge

12-23-2009 Ohio:

CLEVELAND - An inmate kills himself inside the Cuyahoga County jail, even though a judge had ordered him placed on suicide watch.

Last Thursday, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brendan Sheehan sentenced a 60-year old man to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting his grandchildren. To protect their identities, we are not revealing his name.

"My focus here right now, given the circumstances is my concern for his widow and trying to figure out what happened, what went wrong," said defense attorney Lester Potash.

Judge Sheehan confirmed to Fox 8 that he ordered the man placed on suicide watch while inside the county jail, where he would be held before being transferred to a state prison.

"A suicide watch isn't an everyday occurrence, so there was information presented to the judge that warranted this extra supervision to assure what took place wouldn't have happened," said Potash.

Just after midnight Sunday, deputies discovered that the man had hung himself, and died Monday night. Then, Judge Sheehan learned that the jail had not placed him on suicide watch, as instructed.

"I'm looking forward to the cooperation of the county, and the Sheriff's Department as to what took place, what they knew, what they didn't know, why they didn't do what it was that the judge directed them to do," said Potash.

The Cuyahoga County jail and the company that provides its medical services are already being sued by the family of R-and-B singer Sean Levert. He died in March of 2008 after jail workers refused to give him prescription medication.

Meanwhile, the family of the inmate who killed himself are looking for answers too.

"This is a terrible shock to her, and the concern was that once he was remanded into custody that he would be looked after," said Potash.

The Sheriff's Department would not comment about the incident today, but a spokesman says it is under investigation. ..Source.. by Fox8.com

Autopsy shows man in standoff killed self

12-21-2009 Georgia:

Details are few in the death of a 33-year-old accused child molester in a standoff with police Saturday night.

ST. MARYS - An accused child molester's fatal injuries indicate that he had shot himself to death during a standoff with St. Marys police on Saturday, a crime lab autopsy showed.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting death of 33-year-old Robert Dane at Sugarmill, a mid-range subdivision with hundreds of homes.

The GBI and police have released little information about the standoff and subsequent death, but Sheriff Tommy Gregory said Sunday that the victim died at 6:05 p.m., an hour after St. Marys police arrived at a home on the 100 block of Natures Bounty Trail to serve a bench warrant.

Not so fast on suicide ruling Coroner probes inmate's death at SCI-Coal Twp.

12-20-2009 Pennsylvania:

COAL TOWNSHIP - The death that SCI-Coal Township officials said was a suicide is still under investigation by the Northumberland County Coroner's Office, which says the manner of death is pending the results of that investigation.

On Thursday, David A. Varano, superintendent at the state correctional institution, reported inmate Mark Reeves, 28, committed suicide in his cell Monday night at the prison and was found at approximately 10:30 p.m. by correctional officers making a security check. Reeves, who was housed in the prison's restricted housing unit, was found hanging from a bed sheet, Varano reported through a press release.

It said officers provided emergency first aid until facility medical personnel arrived from the infirmary.

Reeves was transported by AREA Services Ambulance to Shamokin Area Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:15 p.m. by a hospital doctor.

Jail inmate commits suicide

12-20-2009 Pennsylvania:

Somerset County Jail inmate Roger Most Jr. committed suicide Sunday morning, according to officials.

Most was found dead around 3:25 a.m. The incident is being investigated by county Coroner Wallace Miller and Somerset Borough Police. An autopsy is expected to be performed today, according to county Solicitor Dan Rullo.

Most, 42, Salisbury, was in jail on charges that he sexually assaulted a child, set a Berlin mobile home on fire and physically assaulted emergency medical technicians in September.

Rullo said Most was on a suicide watch when he first arrived in jail in October.

“After an evaluation by a psychiatrist, that was taken off,” Rullo said.

Most was then placed with the jail’s general population and was observed by guards every 30 minutes. Rullo said he was recently placed in a cell by himself for disciplinary reasons.

“He was in his cell alone when this (suicide) occurred,” Rullo said.

On Nov. 23 Most’s attorney, William Carroll, requested a bail reduction to allow Most to obtain mental health counseling. The court agreed, if Most was electronically monitored. Most rejected monitoring and remained in jail.

Most’s charges include statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, indecent assault, indecent exposure and corruption of minors for a Sept. 9 incident in which police say Most engaged in sexual acts with a 9-year-old.

Most is also charged with burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, arson, criminal mischief, theft by receiving stolen property and harassment and stalking for an incident in which police say he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home in Movilla Estates in Berlin and set fire to a bed and couch on the morning of Sept. 23.

In the third case, Most is charged with three counts each of aggravated assault and simple assault, and one count each of recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness. Police said that on the evening of Sept. 23, Most fought, kicked or bit EMTs rushing him to Meyersdale Medical Center by ambulance for a possible drug overdose. He is also accused of fighting with emergency room personnel.

The last suicide in the jail occurred in March 2007 when William Cornell hanged himself. ..Source.. by RICK KAZMER

Murfreesboro child abuse suspect commits suicide

12-9-2009 Tennessee:

A newly employed pediatric nurse who was soon to be arrested and charged with child sexual abuse reportedly killed himself Thursday by jumping from a medical office building in Nashville, police reported.

Elliot Lash, 26, of Peachtree Street in Murfreesboro, jumped from the top of his workplace as Murfreesboro Police Detective Tommy Roberts worked to arrest him on sex charges, according to a Murfreesboro Police incident report.

The man's wife reported her husband to police after she found a "disturbing video" on a home laptop, according to a report filed by Roberts.

The video reportedly showed Elliot Lash inappropriately touching a child, whose age was redacted in a police report, according to the police report. The child was shown on the camera naked.

Lash's wife, who admitted she'd had trouble in her marriage for the past six years, had recently moved back to her mother's home when she found the video file on a laptop computer her husband had used.

She contacted police in reference to the video. Less than halfway through the material, Murfreesboro Police Officer Jason Harding knew, "I had watched enough to know that a detective was needed from that point."

Detective Roberts took over the investigation at that point. During his investigation he confiscated three computers belonging to Elliot Lash.

"Investigators found hundreds of images and video on the three computers," said Murfreesboro Police spokesman Kyle Evans. "They've been sent to the TBI for forensic analysis. Investigators want to see if these are downloaded images or images he may have taken himself."

Roberts later obtained warrants for sexual exploitation of a minor and sexual battery and contacted Lash by phone.

"I asked him to come in and speak with me," Roberts said. "I went by his place of employment, St. Thomas Medical Group, Pediatrics (Dr. Timothy Mangrum) and was told he did not show up for work."

Later that same day, Roberts received a call from Brent Horst, Lash's attorney. Horst told the detective he would tell Lash to turn himself in, but was not sure that he would.

That same night I received a call from Metro Detective Steven Jolly ... (who) stated it appeared Lash had committed suicide by jumping off a building," Roberts reported.

Evans said investigators may, at some point, work in concert with the Metro Nashville Police Department on the case.

"We're looking to see if there are other people involved in the trade of these materials and to see if we can identify more victims, as his tenure in the medical field was always as a pediatric nurse," Evans said. "If the evidence reveals those are pictures he took, we would ask Nashville to get involved in the investigation, since the doctor's office he worked at is located in Nashville."

However, Chief Operating Officer Bill Grayson of Nashville Healthcare Solutions, said Lash had only worked for St. Thomas Medical Group for "six days" and had very little access to patients of Mangrum.

The medical group is not owned or operated by Saint Thomas Health Services, which owns Saint Thomas Hospital and Middle Tennessee Medical Center. The medical group's office building is attached to Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville and doctors with the medical group have privileges to practice at the hospital.

"To the best of our knowledge, he was never alone and never unsupervised in a patient room," Grayson said. "We hope that ... quashes any nervousness about anyone thinking he committed any impropriety here."

Grayson added that the medical practice hired Lash because he had no marks on his criminal background, he passed a drug screen and he had good references.

"His (criminal) background was completely negative (for any charges)," Grayson said.

A statement released by Grayson on behalf of St. Thomas Medical Group says: "We are saddened to acknowledge the tragic death of one of our employees on December 3, 2009. Elliot Lash was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and had dedicated his life to nursing.

"Mr. Lash became an employee of (the St. Thomas Medical Group) on November 23, 2009, was still in training, and in the short time we knew him was a very personable co-worker," the release reads. "This tragic incident has been a shock for our staff and our patients, and we wish Mr. Lash's family and friends solemn condolences at this difficult time."

Kristen Helm with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said she could not comment on any evidence being processed by the TBI. ..Source.. by MARK BELL • GANNETT TENNESSEE

Registered Sex Offender Dead in Jail

12-16-2009 Virginia:

FAIRFAX, Va. - A 44-year-old convicted sex offender is dead after police say he committed suicide in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Paul Antonio Calvan was caught at Fair Oaks Mall allegedly using a video camera stuffed inside a shopping bag to videotape a 20-year old-woman in a dressing room at Victoria's Secret last Friday night.

"She sees him," Fairfax county police officer Bud Walker tells Fox 5 News, "catches him doing this, and chases him out of the store and then calls police."

The man got away, but Officer Walker says Calvan came back the very next day and with camera in bag went to the Express store right across from Victoria's Secret.

"At this point," Walker says, "folks who were involved in Friday night's incident alerted some of our plain-clothes officers who were located in the mall, and that's when they intercepted him as he attempted to leave the mall."

Calvan was arrested and taken to the jail. Just after midnight Monday, police say Calvan was found with a bed sheet wrapped around his neck and tied to the jail cell door. He died at a hospital 22 hours later.

Calvan was arrested at Fair Oaks Mall 12 years to the day after being convicted of aggravated sexual battery, a crime his neighbors say involved a young girl.

Calvan was a registered sex offender on probation and unemployed at the time of his death. He lived with his father in Arlington County. A neighbor says Calvan got out of prison about a year ago.

"It's kind of a sad ending to this story," next door neighbor Chad Ciri told us. "Would have liked to have seen him be able to work his way out of such things but, such is life."

Police say they are certain Calvan's death is a suicide. ..Source.. by Bob Barnard

Armed Robbery Suspect Found Hanged in Jail Cell

12-15-2009 Oklahoma:

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An armed robbery suspect arrested in the middle of traffic last week was found dead in his jail cell Saturday.

The arrest of 27-year-old DeAngelo Potts was all caught on tape by a dash cam. The police officer held Potts in his car until help arrived.

Potts was then booked into the Oklahoma County jail.

But being locked up and facing a long list of charges proved too much for the convicted felon and registered sex offender.

Potts was found hanging by a sheet from the top bunk of his cell about 3 a.m. Saturday and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Sheriff's office spokesman Mark Myers says Potts was alone in the cell and apparently committed suicide. ..Source.. by NewsOn6.com

Condemned Dahlonega murderer dies

12-8-2009 Georgia:

Pruitt died after hanging himself weeks ago

A man awaiting execution for the 1992 rape and murder of a 10-year-old Lumpkin County girl has died after hanging himself.

Timothy Woodrow Pruitt, 43, died Sunday at a medical prison in Augusta, several weeks after he tried to hang himself with a bed sheet while on death row, Lumpkin County District Attorney Stan Gunter confirmed Tuesday.

Pruitt was sentenced to death by a Cherokee County jury in 1996 for the April 10, 1992, murder of Wendy Nicole Vincent. The trial was moved out of Lumpkin County due to pretrial publicity.

According to court records, Pruitt, whose ex-wife lived next door to the girl, snuck into Vincent’s trailer home late at night while her mother was away. He raped the girl, then stabbed her and cut her throat. DNA evidence at the scene connected Pruitt to the crime.

Pruitt had been at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification prison in Jackson – the home of the state’s death row – until he unsuccessfully tried to hang himself. He died from complications from the suicide attempt Sunday, Gunter said.

Pruitt was nearing the final stages of his federal appeals, said Russ Willard, a spokesman for the Georgia Attorney General’s office, which handles post-conviction appeals in death penalty cases.

Pruitt’s attorneys filed a federal habeus petition Nov. 23, Willard said. The petition would likely have gone to the U.S. District Court, then the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Following that, if Pruitt’s appeals were denied, an execution date would have been set.

Willard said the family of Pruitt’s victim was notified Monday of his death. ..Source.. by Stephen Gurr

Sex offender shot in Nipomo

12-2-2009 California:


A registered sex offender, Michael John Dominguez, died of a gun shot wound earlier today, less than a day after being arrested for sex crimes against a 16-year-old.

Dominguez, 52, is suspected of committing suicide after being arrested for allegedly molesting the victim over a two year period of time that began when the child was 14 years old.

“The preliminary investigation leads us to believe the gun shot was self inflicted,” said Brian Hascall, San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Department Commander, in a press release.

Dominguez posted $250,000 bail and was released at 11:33 p.m. on Tuesday. He was found dead at his 1335 La Loma Drive home in Nipomo earlier today.

Dominquez operated Shine It Auto Detail in Oceano. He had previously been convicted of committing lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, according to Megan’s List. ..Source.. by Cal Coast News.com