Coroner says Tippecanoe County Jail inmate's death caused by mixed drug intoxication
Ron Wilkins
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Juan Antonio Aponte-Arnz died in a Tippecanoe County Jail holding cell on May 31 from acute mixed drug intoxication, Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello said Friday when asked for an update on the case.
Aponte-Arnz's June 1 autopsy was inconclusive. He had no signs of trauma or of a struggle or a fight, Costello said the day after Aponte-Arnz's death. The corner's case remained opened until toxicology reports returned.
Those reports indicated the combination of drugs in his body caused his death, and death was ruled an accident, Costello said.
Aponte-Arnz's final 47 hours began about 3 a.m. May 29 when Lafayette police received a call of an unresponsive man near 14th and Salem streets, police said in May. That's just a few blocks east of Aponte-Arnz's apartment in the 800 block of North 10th Street, according to his address on his jail book-in card.
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The unresponsive man turned out to be Aponte-Arnz, 22, and he was taken by an ambulance to IU Health Arnett Hospital for treatment, police said in May.
At 5 a.m. May 29, Aponte-Arnz was medically cleared to leave the hospital, and officers arrested him on two Huntington County warrants alleging Aponte-Arnz had not paid fines and court costs for his convictions of dealing meth, possession of meth, possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine and possession of paraphernalia.
Officers drove Aponte-Arnz to the jail, where he was booked in around 6 a.m. May 29.
About 2 a.m. May 31, jail officers noticed Aponte-Arnz was unresponsive in his holding cell, which he shared with two other inmates. Officers tried to revive him, but they were not successful.
The Indiana State Police were called to investigate Aponte-Arnz's death.
Without stating any details about the case, Indiana State Police Sgt. Jeremy Piers said the investigation is active and ongoing.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.