Police: Madison County Jail inmate’s death was homicide

An inmate was killed at the Madison County Jail on Monday, and State Police said they had a suspect in custody.

John E. Newsome Sr., 61, of Madison was found dead at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville Monday morning. There was apparent trauma, according to police, and Master Sgt. Mark Doiron confirmed that at 11 a.m. Monday, Madison County Sheriff John Lakin requested that the Illinois State Police assume the investigation.

GUESTBOOK: Offer your condolences to the family of John E. Newsome

“At this point we are interviewing potential witnesses within the cell block,” Doiron said on Monday afternoon. “To avoid any conflict of interest, the sheriff has asked us to handle it.”

At first the name of the victim was withheld pending notification of the family. On Monday night, Doiron confirmed Newsome’s name. He said they believe his death was a homicide, and they had a suspect in custody.

Doiron said that Newsome was found within the common area of the cell block, not within an individual cell. “It’s a room that they have access to during the day,” he said.

Doiron said he could not give any further information, including the name of the suspect or a potential motive. Investigators were to meet with the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, he said, and if charges are filed, more information would be released then.

This is not the first death in recent years at the Madison County Jail. In 2012, Fred Ross Jr., 43, of East Alton was found hanging by a sheet in a shower at the jail. Days earlier he had pleaded guilty to attempted murder, and was facing a lengthy sentence. Later, police testified that he had left what amounted to a suicide note written in a Bible.

Then in 2013, Kenneth Wayne Simpson, 55, was found hanging from a piece of cloth tied to his cell door a day after he was charged with trying to arrange for the kidnapping of a witness against him.

This story was originally published July 18, 2016 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Police: Madison County Jail inmate’s death was homicide."