Accused Child Molester Kills Himself

9-19-2013 Mississippi:

(Hernando, MS) A man accused of molesting children in DeSoto killed himself.

Even after his death, James Marchand’s family still believes he’s innocent, but alleged victims keep coming forward.

Investigators say a total of ten young girls say Marchand molested them.

As prosecutors built their case, Marchand decided to end his life Wednesday.

Although Marchand will never be brought to trial, one mother believes it will spare his victims from testifying.

Her little girl had to do it seven years ago.

“She was molested by James Marchand,” she said.

Another Ohio prison inmate James Blackburn commits suicide after Ariel Castro, Billy Slagle

9-11-2013 Ohio:

The state says a prison inmate has committed suicide, the third case of an Ohio prisoner killing himself in two months.

The State Highway Patrol says the inmate was found hanging in his cell at Lebanon Correctional Institution early Tuesday by his cell mate.

The Department of Rehabilitation and Correction identified the inmate Wednesday as James Blackburn of Trumbull County.

Records show the 31-year-old Blackburn entered prison in 2006 and was serving a 21-year sentence for a rape conviction.

Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro committed suicide last week as he began a life sentence for imprisoning three women in his home for a decade and repeatedly beating and raping them.

Death row inmate Billy Slagle killed himself last month just a few days before his scheduled execution. ..Source.. by NewsNet5.com

Man accused of child sexual assault found dead in Johnson County jail, officials say

8-12-2013 Texas:

A man accused of creating what Johnson County authorities described as “some of the worst child pornography” seized in years was found dead early Monday in his cell in the county jail, officials reported.

Jay Thomas Morgan, 50, of Arlington, died at 5:40 a.m., according to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office, which had not ruled on the cause or manner of death by late Monday.

Johnson County Sheriff Bob Alford said Morgan hanged himself with a T-shirt.

Morgan, who had been in jail since his arrest on July 31, 2012, was awaiting trial on charges of aggravated sexual assault of child/continued abuse of young child. His bail was $500,000.

Alford said Morgan’s trial was set for October.

Ohio man who held 3 women captive commits suicide

9-4-2013 Ohio:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The man who held three women captive in his home for nearly a decade before one escaped and alerted authorities has been found dead and is believed to have committed suicide, a prison official said.

Ariel Castro, 53, was found hanging in his cell around 9:20 p.m. Tuesday at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, located south of Columbus in central Ohio, JoEllen Smith, Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman, said early Wednesday.

Prison medical staff performed CPR before Castro was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 10:50 p.m.

He was in protective custody because of the notoriety of his case, meaning he was checked every 30 minutes, but was not on suicide watch, Smith said. She said suicide watch entails constant observation.

Castro was also watched closely in Cuyahoga County Jail in the several weeks after his arrest and before his case was resolved by a guilty plea, with logs noting his activity every 10 minutes. He was taken off county jail suicide watch in early June after authorities determined he was not a suicide risk.