Fayetteville — A man apparently committed suicide in the Washington County Detention Center, the Sheriff's Office said Monday afternoon.
Jeremy Laconsello, 20, was found dead by patrol officers around 5 a.m. with a towel tied around his neck, according to a press release from the office. Foul play isn't suspected, Sheriff Tim Helder said.
"It can happen in the middle of the night," he said. "I'm as sorry as anybody else."
Laconsello's two cell mates were asleep at the time, Helder said, and hourly patrols missed Laconsello's death because a blanket was pulled down over the towel.
An internal investigation is ongoing to make sure procedures were followed and is standard procedure after a death in custody, office spokeswoman Kelly Cantrell said. Video of the incident isn't available because the sleeping cells don't have cameras, she added.
Laconsello was arrested in June in connection with felony possession of drug paraphernalia. Springdale Police said they found a meth pipe in his vehicle. His brother Daryn Laconsello, 19, was also arrested at the time.
Deputies are required to let prisoners sleep for eight uninterrupted hours, Cantrell said. During their hourly check, they will check in quickly and quietly with a flashlight and "count heads," she said.
Laconsello was found in a seated position on his bed, which he moved to the floor instead of on his bunk, Helder said.
"Short of putting cameras in every room, I don't know how we can prevent it," he added.