TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - The Lucas County Coroner's Office says the inmate who died at the Toledo Correctional Center over the weekend was strangled.
Lucas County Coroner Dr. James Patrick says the autopsy on Arturo Lopez, 43, shows he died of ligature strangulation, which means something was wrapped around his neck and pulled tightly until he breathed his last breath.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the death as a homicide pending toxicology results, which will come back from the lab in about six weeks. They believe it was an inmate-on-inmate attack.
Lopez had a cellmate, but investigators will not say if that person is involved.
Lopez was in prison on a rape conviction out of Ottawa County. He was sentenced to nine years in 2007, after being convicted of raping his wife's 5-year-old granddaughter in July 2005.
