Man accused of killing common-law spouse found dead in Saint John jail

A man accused of killing his common-law spouse last week in Rothesay has been found dead in his jail cell at the Saint John Correctional Centre.

Adam Lee Steven Prest was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Tanya Marie Shand.

Police responded to an apartment building in the Dolan Road area of Rothesay around 5 a.m. on May 22.

When they arrived on the scene, police found Shand’s body and arrested 39-year-old Prest.

He made a brief court appearance in Saint John on May 23 but did not enter a plea.

Emergency responders were called to the jail just after 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Police say Prest was found unresponsive in his cell and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators say foul play is not suspected but they have not revealed a cause of death.

Prest had been scheduled to appear in court on June 10.