INDIANAPOLIS -- A Marion County Jail inmate died after being found unresponsive in a holding cell in the City-County Building last week – but his wife doesn't agree it was a suicide.
Thomas Miles, 26, died Friday September 2nd after being hospitalized for several days. The Marion County Coroner ruled Miles' death a suicide.
But his wife, Erica Miles, says her husband never would have taken his own life.
“This man was happy,” said Erica Miles. “We had just gotten married in July. We have five children between the two of us.”
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He was awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania to face charges of possession of a controlled substance, and had only been in custody for a few days when he was found unresponsive in a holding cell.
Erica Miles said her husband never suffered from any depression or mental health issues.
When she visited him in the hospital, she said her husband’s head and body had bruises and gashes.
Erica Miles said before her husband’s death, he told her another inmate was angry with him because he wanted the Miles family to deposit money into his jail account.
“There’s just too much that’s not adding up,” said Miles.
The Marion County Coroner’s office is now investigating the case, according to jail spokesperson Katie Carlson.
A cause of death has not yet been released, according to Erica Miles.
Erica Miles said she asked the Marion County jail to see video of her husband, but they would not release anything to her.
“They told me he hurt himself, but I think that’s a lie,” said Erica Miles.
