KVOA

Posted: Feb 8, 2010 5:52 PM
Updated: Feb 8, 2010 7:45 PM

CORPUS CHRISTI - Guards at the Nueces County Jail found Samuel Salazar hanging in his cell around 7:00 p.m. last night.

Jail authorities say 45-year-old Samuel Salazar, accused of raping his own mother, showed suicidal tendencies from the first day he was booked at the Nueces county jail, on January 9th.

Jail officials say Salazar was categorized as a "high risk prisoner" so he was stripped of all his possessions and forced to wear a hospital gown. Guards then checked on Salazar every 15 minutes.

Because Salazar was accused of hurting his mother, Chief Michael McKenzie says they kept the inmate alone in his cell and away from other inmates who could possibly hurt him.

"That's always a concern when you've got that type of charge," Chief McKenzie said.

McKenzie also says Salazar attempted to kill himself once before while in jail, but guards were able to stop him.

Chief McKenzie says Friday the jail psychiatrist took Salazar off suicide watch, which is why Sunday guards were only checking in on the inmate every thirty minutes.

"He was in one of our direct supervision units, he was checked on about 18:40 which is 6:40 in the evening and he was fine and then another inmate said, ‘hey you need to take a look at this guy,'" Chief McKenzie said.

When the guards found him Chief McKenzie says Salazar was in a crouched position with his knees almost touching the floor. He says the inmate used the mattress cover off his bed, tying one end to his bunk and the other end around his neck.

Chief McKenzie says it's a possibility that Salazar convinced the psychiatrist he was mentally stable, so he would have the time and materials necessary to take his own life.

"That is something that has crossed our minds, it's another avenue we're looking into. He had to know what he was doing, yes I believe that's the case," Chief McKenzie said.

Jail officials say Salazar would likely have remained there until his aggravated sexual assault trial. No trial date had been set though; his attorney had most recently requested a psychiatric examination.

We've also learned Salazar had been in jail before, convicted of drug possession and burglary in 1990. In 2005, he was convicted of aggravated assault, and sentenced to two years in prison.