The Polk County Sheriff's Office is conducting an apparent suicide death investigation on an inmate.
- First degree murder suspect found hanged in cell
- Pedro Vega, Jr. found dead from apparent suicide
- Vega charged with 1st degree murder in death of aunt
Pedro Vega, Jr. was found hanging from a sheet in his isolation cell around 6 p.m. on Sunday during a routine inmate check.
Vega is charged with first degree murder in the death of his aunt, Rosa Vega.
On Aug. 30, Vega fatally stabbed his aunt 14 times and critically stabbed his father, Pedro Sr., at least 20 times.
After stabbing his aunt and father, officials said Vega broke into the house next door and shot at the residents with a rifle he stole from his father's house. A resident returned fire and shot Vega in the hand. Officials said he then stole his father's truck and fled the scene.
Later that day, a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper found the stolen truck and took Vega into custody on two other felony warrants--burglary with battery and VOP.
He was also charged with first degree murder and attempted first degree murder.
After being treated at the hospital for his gunshot wound, Vega was transported to the Osceola jail and then to the Polk County jail on Sept. 2. The next day he was found hanged in his cell.
Officials said inmates are checked every 15 minutes by a certified detention deputy. Vega was last seen by a detention deputy standing upright in his cell at 5:57 p.m. and then at 6:09 p.m. he was seen slouching against a wall with what appeared to be a sheet around his neck.
Deputies immediately responded to Vega, who was unresponsive, and began performing CPR until EMS arrived. Vega was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Officials found two plastic spoons with sharpened ends in Vega's cell, which were used to force the torn ends of the bedsheet into the small circular openings of the air return vent where they were tied. Deputies also found a noose in his pillowcase.