The death of a 40-year-old inmate named John Goodwin is under investigation by detectives from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. According to the detectives, Goodwin was taken into custody by the St. Petersburg Police Department for Attempted 1st Degree Murder and Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon and was subsequently booked into the Pinellas County Jail on May 17, 2021.
On April 18, 2023, around 11:50 p.m., a deputy who was performing a well-being check in the housing unit where Goodwin was being held noticed a bed sheet covering the cell door. Upon investigating, the deputy discovered that Goodwin had hanged himself from the vent using a ligature made from the sheet. Additional deputies and medical staff were called in to assist, but unfortunately, Goodwin was pronounced dead at around 12:20 a.m. on April 19, 2023.
The detectives have not found evidence that Goodwin was involved in any physical altercations or had suffered any injuries while in jail. Goodwin’s next of kin has been notified, and the investigation is ongoing.