Foul play not suspected in prison cell death of sniper

CARSON CITY - A deputy coroner in Carson City said foul play is not suspected in the death of highway sniper Christopher Merritt, whose body was found in his prison cell Aug. 23.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reported there were no obvious signs of what led to his death at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City.

Pathology test results are pending.

Merritt, 34, was serving up to 55 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty in November 1999 to six counts of attempted murder in a shooting rampage in January of that year along Interstate 80 near Mogul.