A Carbondale police officer who committed suicide while on duty two weeks ago was under investigation for domestic sexual assault, his department said tonight.
Saturnino “Nino” Santiago Sr. killed himself on March 22, the day before he was scheduled to talk to Arapahoe County detectives about the alleged crime from eight years ago.
He had known he was a suspect in the case for about two weeks, according to a statement released tonight by the Carbondale Police Department.
Santiago had not been suspended, because he had not been charged and Arapahoe County investigators had not made the Carbondale Police Department aware of the allegation, according to the statement from Carbondale Police Chief Gene Schilling.
“With this release my hope is that the citizens of Carbondale can move forward,” the chief stated in a media release.
He added, “Please respect the family and fellow officers as they mourn the loss of Officer Santiago.”
No details of the Arapahoe County allegations were released.
Santiago was hired by the Carbondale Police Department in May 2008. Public records show he lived in Aurora from 2003 to 2008.
According to his Facebook page, Santiago is a native of Camden, N.J., where he graduated high school in 1980 and then served in the Marines. he was the father to three children.
Santiago reportedly sent a text message to a family member before he shot himself inside his vehicle in a parking lot adjacent to Crystal River Elementary School in the early morning hours.
