The man accused of stealing a postal service truck and a suburban police cruiser last month was found dead in the Cook County jail on Sunday, according to officials.
Miguel Alvarado, 36, was found unresponsive in the shower area of the jail’s Residential Treatment Unit at 2:53 p.m., according to a sheriff’s office spokesperson. The RTU holds detainees who require medical treatment.
The spokeswoman stated that they tied a bedsheet over both a fixture and Alvarado’s neck. They said staff contacted 911 and started lifesaving procedures, but Alvarado died at Mt. Sinai Hospital.
“There is no evidence of foul play at this time, but the cause and manner of death are pending autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office,” according to the spokesperson. The autopsy results were still pending on Monday afternoon.
Following policy, the sheriff’s office requested that the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force conduct an impartial investigation into the situation.
A judge ordered Alvarado’s custody on March 22 on charges of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated reckless driving.
Alvarado allegedly stole a Bedford Park Police Department squad car on March 19. Prosecutors said he then stole a USPS delivery truck and smashed it into another car in Bridgeview.
The high-speed collision injured a mother and her two sons, ages four and seven. @arabchicago recorded a video of the scene on X.
