A 53-year-old man who died Thursday morning in Larimer County Detention Center has been identified by the Larimer County Coroner’s Office as Charles Edward Betts.
Betts was being held on manslaughter and domestic violence charges in the beating death of 56-year-old Christopher Smith.
The Sheriff’s Department said Betts was found in cardiac arrest in his cell Thursday 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
Anyone with information can call 970-416-1985 or Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868.
