NATCHEZ — The man arrested Wednesday on charges of armed robbery was found dead hanging by a sheet in his jail cell Thursday.

Fellow inmates at the city jail found Charles Ray Brown, 40, hanging from the cell’s wire mesh covering just below the ceiling, Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said Thursday.

Brown was being held in a larger cellblock with nine other inmates, Mullins said.

“It was about 1:40 in the morning,” he said. “All the inmates were asleep. One inmate woke up and saw Brown hanging by the sheet.”

The inmate alerted a booking officer, who in turn notified a patrol officer. Officers immediately cut down Brown and checked for a pulse, Mullins said.

Brown was declared dead at the scene. Adams County Coroner James Lee said he took the body to the county morgue to inspect it.

“As a matter of routine, we called the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, and they’re investigating,” Mullins said. “We like for an outside agency to investigate when something like this happens.”

While the department is also investigating the situation, Mullins said he is satisfied Brown’s death was the result of a suicide.

Mullins said he couldn’t remember a suicide in the current city jail, which opened in 1994.

Brown was arrested Wednesday after allegedly robbing a U.S. 61 North convenience store at gunpoint, then leading law enforcement officers on a chase through Natchez, across the bridge and into Vidalia.

He stopped near the Budget Inn in Vidalia.

Brown, of 950 Main St., Caledonia, was staying at the Budget Inn in Vidalia, officials said Wednesday.

Mullins said he did not know how long Brown was in town or for what reason.

Brown was also wanted on a warrant for forgery in Columbus.

Armed robbery can carry a life sentence, Mullins said.