Former escaped inmate hangs self in prison

Former escaped inmate hangs self in prison


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DRAPER -- One of the men who escaped from the Daggett County Jail in 2007 killed himself in his cell late Sunday night.

Danny Gallegos, 51, was found hanging in his cell by prison correctional officers at the Utah State Prison at 10:30 p.m. Sunday and was pronounced dead at 11:15 p.m.

He was being housed in the maximum security "Uinta" unit.

A corrections official said Gallegos was not under suicide watch.

On Sept. 22, 2007 Gallegos and Juan Diaz-Arevalo, both convicted killers, slipped through an unlocked door, scaled a fence and jumped off the roof to escape.

The two tied up 79-year-old Bill Johnson, a former police officer, inside his Manila trailer and stole his Ford Explorer.

Former escaped inmate hangs self in prison

Johnson was able to free himself, flag down a passing car and call 911.

Gallegos and Diaz-Arevalo were on the run for almost a week before being caught in Wyoming following a car chase and a shootout.

The two were being held at the Daggett County Jail because of prison overcrowding.

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