Coroner Identifies Man Who Died in Custody

An autopsy was performed on the body of a man who died last week after being driven by Long Beach police to L.A. County Men's Central Jail, where he fell ill and died.

The Coroner's Office said it may be weeks before the cause of the man's death will be known; it was not conclusive following the Monday autopsy so toxicology tests may reveal more when they are completed in about six weeks. 

The Coroner identified the deceased man in custody as Sarin Nhem, 28, of Long Beach.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Long Beach Police have said in a press release that they arrested the man, and that the man was being transported Thursday to County Jail.  On the drive he appeared OK about 7 p.m., but became ill after being transferred to the county-run jail in downtown Los Angeles, police said. Nhem was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Nhem was arrested in Long Beach Tuesday. Authorities did not immediately disclose why he was arrested.