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Man found unresponsive in Iron County jail cell dies 3 days later

George William Schuessler was taken into custody about a week before he died.

(Jud Burkett | Special to The Tribune) The emergency department at St. George Regional Hospital on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. An Iron County inmate died at the St. George hospital on Sunday, May 28, 2023, three days after he was found unresponsive in his cell.

An inmate at the Iron County Correctional Facility died three days after he was found alone and unresponsive in his cell Thursday, according to a news release.

Medical staff and corrections deputies performed life-saving efforts on George William Schuessler, 37, according to the release, which was published by a “critical incident” task force for Iron, Garfield, Beaver and Kane counties.

He was taken to Cedar City Hospital and later flown to St. George Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead Sunday, officials said.

The man’s death is still being investigated by the task force, though officials said no foul play is suspected. Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson said it’s protocol that the task force investigates police shootings as well as in-custody deaths.

According to court documents, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office in California had notified the Iron County attorney’s office that it had issued a warrant for Schuessler, who was accused of sexual assault in that state.

Officers located Schuessler in Iron County on May 20 and took him into custody that day.

Schuessler had waived extradition, said Iron County prosecutor Trajan Evans. By doing so, he was admitting he was the man California was looking for, but not admitting to the crime of sexual assault, Evans clarified.

He was charged in Utah with being a fugitive from justice, but Evans said that once California would’ve picked him up, that charge would’ve been dismissed. Further details weren’t available Tuesday.

In April, Olympic skier Jeremy Nobis, 52, died at the Iron County jail while awaiting sentencing in a DUI case.