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A Spokane County Corrections Officer found an inmate in his cell sometime Monday afternoon, unresponsive with a sheet wrapped around his neck. The officer called for backup and began “life-saving efforts”, according to the Sheriff's Office press release.

Additional jail staff and emergency responders tried to revive the inmate, but to no avail. Eventually, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Detectives were called in to investigate the death. 

The inmate— whose name will be released once the Medical Examiner's Office notifies his family, probably this afternoon — was locked in his cell alone at the time of death. Sheriff's Office Deputy Mark Gregory wouldn't elaborate on how long the man had been alone in his cell.

“All I can say is that at the time this occurred the person was in a cell by themselves,” says Gregory.

Gregory expects more information will be released when the investigation into the death has been completed. 
 
"Any time there is a death that wasn’t something that was planned upon that occurs, whether it is at a residence or a jail, we always treat everything as a criminal investigation," says Gregory.

The Spokane County Jail has drawn heat for neglecting inmates in the past. Last month a jury awarded $8 million to the family of a man who died at the Airway Heights Corrections Center in 2012.

Update: According to the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office the inmate who committed suicide at the Spokane County Jail Monday was 46-year-old John A. Everitt. The cause of death was "hanging by ligature".