The coroner has identified the McHenry County Jail’s third inmate to die in two weeks as a 74-year-old man who was being held after allegedly shooting at his wife in Johnsburg.
Timothy Mumford, 74, of Johnsburg, was found unresponsive in his cell at the McHenry County Adult Correctional Facility in Woodstock, according to McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said Mumford was in a single-occupied booking cell around 4 p.m. Thursday.
Corrections officers at the jail began performing lifesaving measures on Mumford.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded and took over lifesaving measures, which were unsuccessful.
Mumford was pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.
The McHenry County Major Investigation Assistance Team was requested to conduct the investigation in accordance with state law and sheriff’s office protocol.
The sheriff’s office did not say if any signs of trauma were found or if foul play is suspected.
Rein said an autopsy on Mumford is scheduled for Thursday.
Mumford was being held on charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony, reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony, and reckless conduct endangering safety, a Class A misdemeanor.
The Johnsburg Police Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 11:08 p.m. on November 14 to the 3600 block of Fillmore Road in Johnsburg for a report of shots fired.
Police officials said it was reported that Mumford was shooting a gun inside a residence.
An initial criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said Mumford fired the gun “multiple times” in a reckless manner.
The man’s actions endangered the safety of his wife, who was also inside their house at the time, the complaint said.
A subsequent criminal complaint filed alleged Mumford fired the gun in the direction of his wife.
Court documents said prior to Mumford firing the gun, he told his wife she would be hearing a “popping.”
The complaint said Mumford knew his wife was inside the room behind the wall where he discharged the firearm into.
Multiple other police departments were called to assist and the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team also responded.
The woman was able to get out of the home while Mumford remained inside, leading to a lengthy nine-hour standoff.
Paramedics transported Mumford to a local hospital for mental health treatment.
Court documents said Mumford had an untreated mental illness, which led him to believe that the CIA or terrorists were in the vicinity of his home and resulted in him calling the police prior to the shooting and standoff.
Mumford’s death is the third McHenry County Jail inmate death in the past two weeks.
Sean Grendel, 51, of McHenry, died on November 21 after he was also found unresponsive in his cell at the jail.
On Sunday, an inmate being held for attempted murder after allegedly shooting a rifle at sheriff’s deputies near Harvard last year died while awaiting trial.
Randall B. Little, 59, of Harvard, had been transported to a hospital from the jail on October 20 due to his health.
Little was then transferred to a hospice care facility on November 13 and remained under guard until his death.
The sheriff’s office said Little died due to a terminal illness.