Inmate Death Ruled A Suicide

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL – The McHenry County Coroner's Office has ruled the death of a man found unresponsive in his McHenry Co. jail cell last fall was a suicide. Thomas M. Doheny, 51, of Cary died from "asphyxia due to suffocation by plastic bag" on Nov. 17, according to a Thursday news release from the McHenry County Coroner's Office. Doheny was in custody after a McHenry County judge ordered him stay for an "indeterminate period" due to unpaid child support payments, the Northwest Herald reports.

Jail staff found Doheny in his cell at 8:12 p.m. on Nov. 17 with a plastic bag around his neck, which was loosely secured with a t-shirt, McHenry County Coroner Anne Majewski said in the news release. He was taken to Centegra Hospital in Woodstock where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

At the time of his death, Moheny allegedly owed his ex-wife thousands of dollars in child support and other fees related to their 2014 divorce, according to the Northwest Herald. In February, a judge ordered he pay $11,500 each month in maintenance fees and $7,774 in child support. Those payments were set to continue for 16 years.

When he did not pay the fees, he was held in contempt of court and taken into custody. A judge ordered he pay $125,000 to his ex-wife to be released from jail, the Northwest Herald reports. He had been in custody for two weeks when he committed suicide.

Toxicology samples taken at the time of Doheny's death came back negative, Majewski said.

Doheny owned Doheny Equipment and Supplies. He had four children, Caitlin, Meghan, John and Jerry, according to his obituary. A GoFundMe page was set up to bring in funds for his children's college education. Donations can be made here.

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