Sheriff’s Office Identifies Inmate Who Died in Tuscaloosa County Jail

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office has publicly released the identity of the 39-year-old inmate who was found dead Tuesday in his cell at the Tuscaloosa County Jail.

In a Wednesday afternoon press release, a TCSO spokesperson identified the man as Marcus Antwan Bell, 39, of Tuscaloosa.

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Court records indicate Bell was arrested on Thursday, May 20th, for felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor tampering with physical evidence, meaning he had been jailed for five days when he was found unresponsive in his cell Tuesday.

Deputy Jessica McDaniel, TCSO's public information officer, said there were no signs of foul play and Bell's cause of death was not immediately apparent. An autopsy will be conducted to help investigators learn more.

McDaniel said the investigation into Bell's death will be conducted by members of the multi-agency Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit who are not employed by or affiliated with the sheriff's office.