Nashville man charged with murder found dead in jail cell

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WSMV) - An inmate in the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center charged with second-degree murder, among other charges, was found dead in his cell on Sunday, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.

Manuel Angel Blanco-Garcia, 20, of Nashville, was found unresponsive while detention deputies were doing a routine headcount, the Sheriff’s Office said. He was pronounced dead in his jail cell. Rutherford County Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh was notified and responded.

“Our heart-felt sympathy goes out to his family,” Fitzhugh said.

Blanco-Garcia was charged Friday with second-degree murder and four counts of felony possession of schedule II drugs for resale. He was being held on $500,000 bond at the detention center.

Detective Sgt. Richard Brinkley, who is investigating with lead Detective Dennis Ward, said Blanco-Garcia was housed in a cell alone. An autopsy by the Rutherford County Medical Examiner’s Office was requested to determine the cause of death.