Inmate commits suicide after shoplifting arrest

An inmate at the Lincoln County Detention Center committed suicide on Thursday just hours after his arrest.

The man was not from the area. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said the man appears to have been a transient.

The 55-year-old man was arrested at about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 28 by the Libby Police Department on charges of misdemeanor theft, possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. The man also had a $10,000 felony theft arrest warrant out of Oregon.

The Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe refused to release the name of the deceased, pending notification of next of kin. 

However, the sheriff’s incident report shows Libby Police taking a call at 2:49 p.m. that day from a Libby Sports employee reporting a “tall, thin, older male” with a fedora, plaid shirt and golden retriever had stolen and tried to return several items for cash.

A Libby Police officer arrested the man, Robert Stalie, half an hour later at a barbecue stand on 3rd Street and Mineral Avenue.

The man was checked into the detention facility at approximately 3:38 p.m., and committed suicide at around 6 p.m.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, there was no indication that the man was suicidal during the arrest or processing at the detention facility. The man appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and possibly drugs.

The Sanders County coroner took custody of the body, which will be transported to the State Crime Lab in Missoula for an autopsy.

The State Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident at the request of the Sheriff’s Office.