DRAPER, Utah, Sept. 26, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — The name of a Utah State Prison inmate who died Saturday in a possible homicide has been confirmed.
“I can confirm the name of the inmate who died is Reo Watts,” Marissa Cote, Utah Department of Public Safety public affairs director, said in an email to Gephardt Daily. “That is the only information I have available.”
On Sunday, the prison had released a statement:
“An inmate was found unresponsive in his cell in the Oquirrh Facility at the Utah State Prison late Saturday evening and was later declared deceased,” the statement says. “The death is being investigated as a possible homicide.”
“Family of the deceased inmate have been notified,” the prison statement says. “Names will not be released at this time due to the incident being under investigation.”
Reo Guy Watts, 38, had a criminal history dating back to 2002. Many of his arrests were in Utah County.
His most recent arrest followed a July 31 incident after which he faced misdemeanor charges failure to stop at the command of a law enforcement officer, possession or use of a controlled substance, and manufacture/possession of burglary tools; and an infraction charge related to the lack of bicycle lamps and reflectors.
He also had an outstanding warrant at the time he was apprehended.
Gephardt Daily will share additional information on the case as it becomes available.
