Death Of Inmate Found Hanging In San Diego Jail Ruled A Suicide

SAN DIEGO, CA — The death of a murder suspect found hanging at San Diego Central Jail last winter has been ruled a suicide, authorities reported Wednesday.

Deputies discovered Grant Parker, 34, hanging in his cell at the Front Street detention center on the afternoon of March 8, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

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Jail staff performed CPR on Parker prior to the arrival of paramedics, who assumed the lifesaving attempts and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead two days later, sheriff's Lt. Juan Marquez said.

The county Medical Examiner's Office has ruled that Parker, who was being housed in a single-occupant jail cell, killed himself.

Parker had been in custody since Feb. 14, when he allegedly stabbed another man to death in front of the Hotel Churchill on C Street in downtown San Diego.

Following the deadly assault, Parker allegedly fled into his nearby apartment and tried to set fire to it. Officers forced entry to the residence and took him into custody with help from a police dog, officials said.

"The San Diego Sheriff's Office extends our sympathies to (Parker's) family and all those affected by his passing," Marquez said. "A sheriff's family-liaison officer will continue to support the family during this difficult time."

— City News Service