Accused murderer hangs self in jail cell

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL, FOX 35) - A jail inmate found hanging Sunday night in his cell by his bed sheet has died. Christopher Jodon, who was being housed at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach while awaiting trial on a murder charge, died Wednesday morning.

Jodon was being housed in a segregation unit at the jail, where corrections officers checked on him every 15 minutes.

He was observed by corrections officers to be in good condition when he was checked at 6:16 p.m. on Sunday evening. But during the next check at 6:31 p.m., corrections officers found Jodon hanging from a bed sheet that had been wrapped around a mirror in his cell.

Corrections officers cut the bed sheet and began performing CPR on Jodon, who had a weak pulse but was unresponsive. Paramedics quickly arrived to take over resuscitation efforts, and then Jodon was transported by EVAC ambulance to the Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.

Jodon was pronounced dead at the hospital at approximately 10:30 a.m. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office is investigating.

Last Month, the Volusia County Grand Jury returned an indictment against Jodon for first degree murder in relation to the stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend Jackie Miller on July 20, 2010.

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Investigators said Jodon, 44, intentionally ran Miller’s SUV off the road while she was traveling down Interstate 4 during a morning commute. The impact caused her car to flip, partially throwing her out of the vehicle. Investigators said that when a Volusia County deputy approached the scene of the accident, he saw that the 44-year-old Miller had, "a laceration to her neck." Jodon also had what appeared to be self-inflicted wounds.

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Jodon's mother later reported that her son had left a suicide note prior to allegedly killing his ex-girlfriend, according to a charging affidavit.  She said the note stated that he, "could not face life anymore," and that, "this is the choice I'm making and I'm not going alone, I'm taking the individual who has helped bring me to this all time low."

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Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol noted that Miller's injuries were not consistant with the crash and an autopsy performed by the Volusia County Medical Examiner confirmed that Miller had two puncture wounds to her chest in addition to the laceration to her neck.

Given the results of the crash investigation and the autopsy, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office found cause to charge Jodon with first degree murder.

Miller died on scene while Jodon was transported to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach.