A man in custody of the Riley County Jail died Thursday evening.
Riley County corrections officers found Michael Lee Stanfield, 60, unresponsive at 9:22 p.m. Riley County EMS arrived on the scene at 9:29 p.m. and administered life-saving measures. Despite emergency personnel’s efforts, Stanfield was pronounced dead at 9:51 p.m.
An source with knowledge of the situation told The Mercury Stanfield died by suicide.
Riley County Police Department representatives said Stanfield’s next of kin were notified. There does not appear to be criminal activity involved in his death.
In accordance with RCPD policy and state statute, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) was notified and responded to investigate. The KBI investigates all deaths that occur in Kansas prisons and jails unless the inmate who died was being regularly seen by a physician or the death is ruled natural by autopsy.
RCPD spokesman Josh Kinder said police will release additional information as it becomes available.
RCPD director Brian Peete said he wouldn’t give more details about the circumstances of Stanfield’s death.
“The KBI is taking the lead on this investigation, so RCPD is not at liberty to discuss anything, any specifics of the incident,” Peete said.
Stanfield faced charges in Riley County District Court for two counts of aggravated assault with a knife, two counts of criminal threat and disorderly conduct. He was arrested June 20 and was held in jail on a $29,000 bond.