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Ray, 60, was found unconscious in his cell at the Essex County Jail on Father's Day around 6 p.m., the New York Times says citing James Troisi, the vice president of the union that represents the jail’s supervisors.
"We have confirmed that James Ray that has died, though the cause and manner are not known," said Robert Florida, spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. "An autopsy is pending, and our Professional Standards Bureau is conducting the investigation."
Ray is believed to have suffered a medical emergency in his jail cell, and was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, CBS News reports.
Ray was found guilty last month on various charges for fatally shooting Bledsoe, 44, in the chest, face, and back, after she dropped their daughter at school on Oct. 18, 2018, said Assistant Prosecutor Michele Miller, who tried the case along with Assistant Prosecutor John Petillo.
Ray was raised in Brooklyn and spent two years as a New York City police officer before earning an M.B.A. and going to law school. He also served in the U.S. Marines.
Originally sentence date was for Thursday, June 22, but was pushed back to Tuesday, July 11.
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