ELIZABETH — A Union County Jail inmate died earlier this week, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park announced yesterday.
William Parisio, 25, was pronounced dead late Monday morning at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth after being transported there from the jail.
An autopsy that took place Tuesday revealed no obvious signs of significant trauma to Parisio, with the cause of death pending additional toxicology and biological tests.
Parisio had been awaiting trial for murder.
The date was March 13, 2011 when police rushed to his mother’s home in Cranford to find the body of 22-year-old Pamela Schmidt of Warren.
Parisio was charged with murder and two weapons offenses. An investigation revealed that he allegedly struck the victim, his girlfriend, with a dumbbell before manually strangling her. He was indicted in September 2011.
The Union County Police Department is handling the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Parisio’s death, and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office is also reviewing the matter.