Coroner: Clark County inmate found hanging in jail cell has died

SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield man who was found hanged in the Clark County Jail last week has died, according to officials.

Arthur Lanum, 37, died at Springfield Regional Medical Center around 7:30 p.m. Monday, six days after he was found hanging in a jail cell, according to the Clark County Coroner’s Office.

Lanum’s cause of death has not been officially ruled and is still under investigation, a coroner’s office official said.

His body was taken to the Montgomery County Coroner’s office for an autopsy.

Lanum was given CPR by deputies after they found him in his jail cell Feb. 19.

FIRST REPORT: Deputies give CPR to inmate found hanging in jail

According to a sheriff’s office incident report, a deputy found toilet paper covering the window of the Lanum’s cell around 7:30 a.m. When deputies opened the cell, they found the man hanging from the rail of a window by a jail-issued bed sheet.

Clark County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Meyer said previously that the incident came as a surprise and his death is suspected to have been a suicide.

He said Lanum was being housed in general population and made several phone calls the day before his death.

“We actually tried to make contact with the people that he called [that day] and they said he was jovial, just laughing and didn’t have any signs whatsoever,” Meyer said.

Lanum is suspected to be the second inmate to have died by suicide in the jail within about a year’s time.

RELATED: Suspect in 2 Speedway robberies dies in Clark County Jail

Brian Trainer, a suspect in two Speedway robberies — one in Clark County and one in Springfield — died as a result of an apparent hanging in the jail in April 2018.

Meyer said they take several precautions to monitor for signs of suicide in the jail’s nearly 175 inmates.

“Every hour, we’re required to do a complete walk through of the jail, visibly have to check on each one of the inmates,” he said. “It’s not something you could fudge on a piece of paper. You actually have to physically go to each of the cells and visibly check on each of the inmates in there.”

Meyer said Lanum was in custody for charges relating to carrying a concealed weapon and having a weapon under disability. It’s not clear from online records how long he was in custody, Lanum said.

HOW TO GET HELP
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call 1-800-273-8255
Available 24 hours everyday