Santa Ana : Jail Identifies Inmate Who Hanged Himself

The inmate who authorities said hanged himself with a bed sheet in the Orange County Jail on Saturday was identified Sunday as Mark Robert Ernst, described as a 34-year-old transient, Orange County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Greer said.

An autopsy was performed on Ernst by the sheriff-coroner’s office Sunday afternoon, but a spokesman, citing official policy, said the results would be released only to the district attorney’s office, which is investigating the death. District attorney’s investigator Harry Graves could not be reached Sunday for comment.

Officials said Ernst had been in the jail since Nov. 4, when he was arrested on suspicion of burglary. Later, authorities found several burglary-related arrest warrants for Ernst, according to one law enforcement official.

Ernst’s identity had been withheld Saturday until relatives could be notified.

Ernst is the 10th inmate to die in county custody in less than two years. Sheriff’s Lt. Randy Blair said Saturday that Ernst hanged himself with a bed sheet in the toilet area of the men’s central jail in Santa Ana. He was discovered by another inmate, who called for assistance, according to Blair.