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ILLINOIS—Illinois Department of Corrections has issued information regarding an inmate death at Stateville prison in Joliet.
DOC media spokesperson Tom Shaer has reported that an inmate, Angel Garcia, jumped to his death from the fifth-floor of cell house C in the prison. The floor is known as “10 Gallery,” as floors are counted by two, in even numbers.
Shaer advised that Garcia was a 33-year-old Hispanic male serving a 70-year sentence for murder. He was not eligible for parole until 2079, when he would have been 99 years old. The incident occurred at 12:15 p.m.; and the inmate was pronounced dead at 3:19 p.m.
Garcia had been taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Joliet with serious head trauma and other injuries. He was not on suicide watch and had not been a mental health patient, Shaer advised.
Garcia had spent one hour talking to his girlfriend in the visitor’s area before returning to the cell house, and was returning to his cell when he suddenly ran to the spot from which he jumped.
“The unfortunate actions and occurrences today did not jeopardize the safety or security of anyone but the decedent,” Shaer stated. ”The Illinois Department of Corrections continues to gather information related to this death.”