Investigation ongoing after inmate in Mansfield Jail dies by suicide
Mansfield police are investigating a man’s death by suicide nine and a half hours after he was booked into the city jail on Jan. 7.
Matthew Glen Wood, 34, of Joshua, was brought into the jail by Burleson police about 5 p.m. on Jan. 7 on an outstanding felony parole violation warrant for burglary, a spokeswoman for the Mansfield Police Department said.
At 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 8, Wood was pronounced dead at a hospital after he hanged himself at the jail, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
After Wood arrived at the jail, detention officers were alerted that he “was in medical distress,” and jail staff rendered first aid and called emergency medical services, police said.
Mansfield jail officials declined to answer questions about how often officers check on the inmates, what time officers became aware Wood was in distress, how they were alerted to his condition, or whether he had said anything to indicate he might be suicidal.
Wood was taken to Medical City Arlington hospital by Mansfield EMS and police.
Mansfield officers were then relieved by Burleson officers since they initially arrested Wood.
An internal administrative investigation into Wood’s death is ongoing, which is standard procedure, the Mansfield Police Department spokeswoman said.
