Central Ohio prisoner found dead from apparent suicide in Licking County Justice Center cell
NEWARK − A central Ohio man was found dead in his Licking County Justice Center cell Monday morning in an apparent suicide.
A Licking County Justice Center correctional officer found Luis Figueroa, 39, of London, unresponsive in his solely-occupied cell at 1:53 a.m. Monday, according to a Licking County Sheriff's Office press release. Officers performed life-saving measures, but Newark Fire Department personnel responded and pronounced Figueroa dead at about 2:04 a.m.
Figueroa was scheduled to have a change of plea and sentencing hearing on charges of felony domestic violence, felonious assault and strangulation on Tuesday, according to Licking County court records.
The Sheriff's Office stated there were no signs of foul play and preliminary indications are a suicide. Detectives are investigating the incident.
Licking County Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau Commander Capt. Jay Cook said they want to understand what happened to help prevent such deaths in the future.
"It's still being looked into," Cook said. "A lot of things going on with this case to review. We really want to know why somebody finds themselves in this situation where they think there's no other way. We just try to look at the whole picture."
Cook said in his more than 20 years with the Sheriff's Office, he can't remember a case when an apparent suicide turned out to be something different.
"We definitely don't suspect foul play here," Cook said. "We definitely know how (he died), we're just putting all the other pieces together."
Cook said Figueroa was in the disciplinary block, which is where a prisoner is sent after breaking the rules in the facility.
"You don't normally start there," Cook said. "If you start there, you're in a bad spot."
The jail has about 288 prisoners, Cook said. More than 300 prisoners have been housed there at times in the past.
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County jail prisoner found dead from apparent suicide
