DENVER — A man in custody at Denver’s Downtown Detention Center has been arrested in connection with the murder of another inmate housed in the same unit, according to the Denver Police Department.
Around 2:15 a.m. on Monday, a Denver sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of an unresponsive man inside the facility. Despite life-saving efforts by deputies and medical staff, the inmate was pronounced dead shortly after.
Police investigators found evidence that the victim had been assaulted, and the injuries were believed to have caused the man’s death.
Authorities identified 38-year-old Rick Roybal-Smith as the suspect in the assault. He was arrested Monday in connection with the homicide. Roybal-Smith had already been in custody following his arrest on Sunday for several charges, including DUI involving drugs, careless driving resulting in injury, hit-and-run with injury, and failure to report an accident.
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner will determine the exact cause and manner of death. Final charges against Roybal-Smith will be determined by the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
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