John S. Coady, 26, of Sandy, was found about 10:45 p.m. Monday with sheets tied to his neck and a bed frame, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Jaroscak confirmed. Coady was pronounced dead in an ambulance.

"We had no indication he was suicidal," Jaroscak said.

The Tribune learned of Coady's death through an anonymous tip. The sheriff's office did not publicly announce the incident.

Coady entered the jail Friday after a judge issued a bench warrant, according to jail booking information. Coady was accused of forging checks and had charges pending in 3rd District Court for felony forgery and misdemeanor theft by deception. He had failed to appear for earlier court proceedings, according to docket entries.

Jaroscak said Coady was in what the jail terms quarantine, where inmates are evaluated until it can be determined to which pods they should be assigned. Coady was the only person in the cell, Jaroscak said.

Coady was fine when guards saw him at a 9:45 p.m. check, Jaroscak said. Guards conducted a check about an hour later and found Coady in a near-sitting position and bed sheets tied around himself and the bed frame.

Aaron Coady, the man's brother, said he didn't know why John Coady would want to commit suicide.

"I think that's what's on everyone's mind," Aaron Coady said. "Everyone's kind of confused about it and how it happened and how he was able to do that without anyone seeing him."

John Coady was "the life of the party" and will be missed by family, Aaron Coady said.

Jaroscak said the incident remained under investigation.

The suicide was the second in the jail in two weeks. On April 19, former Lehi police officer Art Henderson, awaiting trial on attempted murder charges, hanged himself with a bedsheet.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com