Death of McHenry County Jail detainee in November ruled suicide

The death of a detainee last year at the McHenry County Jail has been ruled a suicide.

Thomas M. Doheny, 51, of Cary, was found unresponsive in his single-occupancy cell during rounds about 8:10 p.m. Nov. 17, 2017 at the McHenry County Jail, 2200 N. Seminary Ave. in Woodstock, according to the coroner’s and sheriff’s offices.

He was taken to Centrega Memorial Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.

On Thursday, the coroner’s office announced his death was ruled a suicide.

Coroner Anne L. Majewski said Doheny was found with a plastic bag around his neck that was loosely tied with a shirt. His cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to suffocation.

The sheriff’s office said Doheny had been held at the jail since Nov. 1 on a charge of contempt of court.