Kansas City man’s death in Missouri jail ruled a suicide, sheriff’s office says
More than a month after a 53-year-old man died inside the Pleasant Hill jail, an investigation by the sheriff’s office and medical examiner has ruled the death a suicide.
Anthony P. Garner of Kansas City died Dec. 19 while in custody of the Pleasant Hill Police Department.
Family members have said that Garner was arrested outside his mother’s home about 1 a.m. on outstanding warrants for unpaid tickets, mostly traffic-related violations.
Less than four hours after Garner was arrested, the father of two was found unresponsive in a jail cell.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office said a criminal investigation was launched following Garner’s death, and in a statement dated Jan. 11, the Pleasant Hill Police Department said “affected personnel were immediately placed on administrative leave” pending the completed investigation by the sheriff’s office and Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The sheriff’s office released its findings in a statement Thursday, hours before Garner’s family members were scheduled to speak at a press conference about the investigation.
“The conclusion of that investigation determined that no crime had occurred and that Mr. Garner took his own life,” the sheriff’s office said. “An investigation by the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the findings and determined that the cause of death was asphyxia, by manner of suicide.”
