Inmate autopsy: Suicide by hanging

A Madison County jail inmate who died in November hanged himself, according to the state autopsy report obtained by The Jackson Sun.

A member of the man's family disputes the report and does not believe he killed himself.

Timothy Lusby, 29, was found dead in his cell at 1:30 a.m. Nov. 12 with a bed sheet around his neck, according to the report. The sheet was attached to a vent grate in the ceiling.

According to the autopsy, Lusby had a known history of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression. He was last seen by jail staff at 12:45 a.m., according to the report.

Tom Mapes, public information officer for the Madison County Sheriff's Office, said Lusby's death is still under investigation.

Madison County Sheriff John Mehr previously said Lusby was not on suicide watch.

Lusby's sister, Candy Lusby, said she does not believe the autopsy report is accurate and that the Sheriff's Office should be held responsible for her brother's death.

“It’s hard, but I know deep down that my brother didn’t kill himself,” Candy Lusby said. “I know. It’s not one of those, ‘I'm not wanting to believe it’ things.”

Candy Lusby is a nurse in Memphis. She said she went to Nashville to view Timothy Lusby's body and there were inconsistencies between the autopsy report and what she saw. She said there was no abrasion on his neck, and his eyes and skin appeared normal. She said the autopsy report was incomplete and "copied and pasted."

Timothy Lusby had been arrested by the Jackson Police Department on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated domestic assault, aggravated burglary, evading arrest and possession of a firearm.

The Sheriff's Office did not provide answers to questions from The Jackson Sun about its guidelines for placing an inmate on suicide watch, regulations about fittings such as vent grates in cells, and what aspects of the case remain under investigation.

Reach Tyler at (731) 425-9629. Follow him on Twitter: @tyler_whetstone