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For the second time in less than a month, an inmate at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Eyman at Florence apparently has committed suicide, according to prison officials.
Or, to put it in prison-speak: he allegedly “hung it up.” Corrections officials announced today that 28-year-old Jesus Cota was pronounced dead at 3:50 p.m. yesterday
Corrections officials wouldn’t tell New Times how Cota may have killed himself.
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Cota was doing a 10-year prison stint after he was convicted of arson of an occupied structure in Maricopa County back in 2004.
Cota had been in DOC custody since 2005 and was almost halfway done with his sentence, which makes it seem a little strange that he would just now opt for what prisoners call a “back-door parole.”
We asked DOC officials what reason Cota would have for killing himself, but since officers are currently investigating the incident, they wouldn’t comment.
Cota is the second inmate in less than a month to apparently take his own life at the Florence prison.
On December 26, DOC officials found the dead body of convicted child molester Monte McCarty, who was serving a life sentence. It was determined that his death was a suicide.
