A 53-year man died this morning in the Larimer County Detention Center, where he was being held on on manslaughter and domestic violence charges in the beating death of 56-year-old Christopher Smith.
The man’s name was not released, pending notification of family.
The Sheriff’s Department said he was found in cardiac arrest in his cell today and died a short time later, despite efforts to resuscitate him.
He was arrested Wednesday. The case against him began Dec. 29, when deputies were called to the La Quinta Inn near Fort Collins on a report of a “physical disturbance.”
When they arrived, the two men were gone, but because the front desk had a license plate number, deputies went to a home in Weld County where they found Smith and the second man. Smith had been badly beaten and died of his injuries on Jan. 2.
Both deaths remain under investigation. An autopsy on the second man was performed this morning, showing no obvious trauma, so the cause of death is pending the outcome of toxicology tests, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Anyone with information can call 970-416-1985 or Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868.
