Officials investigating apparent suicide at county jail
GREENSBURG (AP) – Officials are investigating after the apparent suicide of an inmate at a western Pennsylvania jail.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that guards at the Westmoreland County jail found 29-year-old William McMunn Jr. unresponsive and dangling from a vent early Tuesday. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Sheriff Jonathan Held, the jail’s board chairman, says the jail will investigate to determine whether the staff followed jail procedures in dealing with McMunn. McMunn had been an inmate since his arrest on burglary charges in June. Authorities say the hanging happened in a disciplinary cell where McMunn was placed after attacking a cellmate.
Warden John Walton says staff had no indication that McMunn had emotional problems and was never placed on suicide watch.
District Attorney John Peck says his office is investigating.