SAN ANTONIO – The Bexar County medical examiner’s office confirmed the inmate who killed himself Friday morning in the Bexar County jail is Melvin McKinney.
McKinney was arrested in connection with the 2013 shooting of a San Antonio police officer.
The Bexar County sheriff held a press conference Friday afternoon to address the latest suicide in the county jail. This suicide marks the fourth one within the past four weeks.
The 40-year-old inmate apparently killed himself shortly before 7:30 a.m. Friday. Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau said there were no signs of foul play. She said the appropriate observations were made, but this death, like the other three, appeared to be suicide by hanging.
Pamerleau said the sheriff’s office will be increasing the number of random observations and checks and has been doing so for the past few weeks. She said additional supervisory personnel will be added.
The sheriff also said officers have moved from a paper log to an electronic system to have a better tracking system of checks on inmates.
"We've added additional observations because we know we want to be certain that there is not an opportunity (we have lost) to make sure that someone doesn't harm themselves," Pamerleau said.
Pamerleau said the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, at the invitation of the sheriff’s office, visited the jail Thursday and praised the actions of the jail’s employees.
The executive director of the Texas Commission of Jail Standards told KSAT that the agency's preliminary review found no violations of state jail standards.
Javier Salazar, who is running against Pamerleau for Bexar County sheriff, said the review is of little comfort to the families.
"I believe that even the best-trained, best-intentioned officer, if there are not enough of them to do the job adequately, if there is not enough staff at the jail, there's going to be situations like this, where somebody loses their life,” Salazar said.
Pamerleau said Friday that staffing was not an issue and that officers at the jail are well-trained and know what they’re doing. She said they have called in chaplains and supervisors to make sure deputies are doing OK.
The University Health System, which works with the sheriff’s office to screen inmates for any medical or mental issues, said it trains its staff on a regular basis, and the staff is reassessed annually. A spokeswoman said staff members will be going through additional refresher courses to enhance training.
Criminal and procedural investigations have been opened, and are opened when any death occurs at the jail, Pamerleau said.