Petaluma murder suspect found dead in jail cell

A man accused of killing an acquaintance was found dead after apparently hanging himself in a cell at the Sonoma County Jail, Sonoma County sheriff’s officials said.

Mikol Wayne Stewart, 37, of Santa Rosa was found by another inmate at about 10:20 a.m. Sunday in a cell at the main detention center in Santa Rosa, sheriff’s officials said. He was pronounced dead at 10:35 a.m. after he could not be revived.

An autopsy confirmed Stewart’s death to be “consistent with suicide by hanging,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Stewart was being held without bail in connection with the Sept. 10 shooting of Arturo Hinojosa, 49. A woman’s frantic 911 call about the shooting led police to find Hinojosa’s body at his home on Suncrest Hill Drive, a narrow lane off Sunnyslope Road in the hills of Petaluma near Helen Putnam Regional Park, according to police.

Petaluma police arrested Stewart the next day on suspicion of murder, burglary and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The sheriff’s violent crimes detectives are conducting an investigation into the suicide because it took place while Stewart was incarcerated by the Sheriff’s Office.

This story is ongoing. Check back for more details.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.