Foul play not suspected in Nevada inmate death

CREATED Sep. 7, 2012

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CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- A deputy coroner says foul play is not suspected in the death of highway sniper Christopher Merritt, whose body was found in his prison cell Aug. 23.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reports there were no obvious signs of what led to his death at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City.

Results of pathology tests are still pending.

Merritt was 34.

He was serving up to 55 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty in November 1999 to six counts of attempted murder in a shooting rampage in January of that year along Interstate 80 near Mogul.

One person was struck by a bullet, two others were injured and six vehicles were damaged.

Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com