The sheriff's office announced a 46-year-old National City man died Thursday at the San Diego Central Jail.
According to preliminary information, Lonnie Newton Rupard was alone in a cell when guards found him unconscious.
"Around 10:48 p.m., officers found Rupard unconscious in his cell. Wardens and medical personnel immediately took life-saving action until relieved by fire department personnel. Paramedics transported Rupard to a hospital, but unfortunately, Rupard was pronounced dead at the hospital," the department wrote in a statement.
A Homicide Unit went to the jail and hospital to investigate the death of Rupard.
The sheriff reported that Rupard "was alone in the cell, and there were no apparent signs of trauma and no evidence of foul play. The Medical Examiner's Office has scheduled an autopsy for this Saturday.
Rupard was a National City resident.
National City Police arrested Lonnie Newton Rupard on multiple charges and later convicted him of assault. He was transferred to prison by the Sheriff in July 2019. In May 2021, he was free on the Post-Release Community Supervision program. (PRCS).
PRCS is a form of supervision provided to an offender released from a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation institution to the jurisdiction of a county agency.
On December 19, 2021, the National City Police Department arrested Rupard for Post-Release Community Supervision Revocation, for which he went on to la. San Diego Central Jail.
