Jail inmate dies
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on September 16, 2004 1:58 PM
A 60-year-old man, an inmate for less than two days in the Wayne County Jail, died today, Sheriff Carey Winders announced.
The inmate was identified as Roy Lee Allen, whose only known address was Parkstown.
No foul play was suspected in the death. The body was to be sent to the state Medical Examiner's Office in Chapel Hill for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
"Our guess right now is that he had a medical problem," Winders said. "But he did not indicate any medical problems to us. He was not on any medication."
Allen was placed in a single cell on the lower level near the control room, Winders said. He was checked at 1:26 a.m.
About 20 minutes later, he was checked again, and the sheriff said Allen needed medical attention. The Goldsboro Rescue Squad was called, and he was pronounced dead. Sheriff's detectives and the State Bureau of Investigation are looking into the death.
Allen was something of a mystery man. Sheriff's detectives and deputies have not found any relatives. He listed only a sister with the name of "Cookie" as his nearest relative, on the arrest report.
"I've seen him before," Winders said. "But I don't know where he lives. We've gone to where he stayed before, but those places are either vacant or occupied by someone else."
Allen had been arrested Tuesday by Goldsboro police and charged with taking indecent liberties with a 2-year-old child. He was being held in jail in lieu of a $50,000 secured bond.
Winders said the child's parents were not related to Allen.