Santa Barbara County Jail inmate dies from suspected suicide

July 19, 2021

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A Santa Barbara County Jail inmate from Santa Maria died in a suspected suicide on Saturday.

Guards at the Santa Barbara Main Jail were conducting routine security checks at about 2:20 p.m.  when they found Kean Ardie San Juan Pinon, 35, hanging from a bed sheet in his cell. Custody deputies immediately provided aid while calling for jail medical staff and paramedics.

Responders then transported Pinon to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where he died about one hour later.

Last week, Santa Maria police officers arrested Pinon for residential burglary and a court remand for possession or purchase of narcotics for sale, as well as for outstanding Santa Barbara County warrants for a probation violation on charges of possession of controlled substances in jail and for a probation violation on charges of grand theft. Authorities booked Pinon in jail at 10:56 a.m. on July 12.