Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter, county commissioners and some county jail employees have been named in a lawsuit by the estate of an inmate who committed suicide in 2019.
36-year-old Austin Stewart was found dead in his cell in May, 2019 and the lawsuit claims his body hung for over 90 minutes before it was discovered.
Stewart was charged in the November, 2018 beating and asphyxiation death of 88-year-old military veteran Floyd Gilbert. Police said Gilbert died during an attempted robbery at his home in the 2200 block of West MacArthur. Stewart was charged with first degree murder, aggravated robbery and theft. Another man, 54-year-old Landon Onek, was also charged with murder and robbery in the case.
The lawsuit stated that Stewart had been on suicide watch after a previous suicide attempt in early 2019./
