Woman committed suicide in jail, Portsmouth officials say

The Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office said a woman committed suicide in the city jail this week, and identified her as Katrina Lassiter, 35, of Suffolk.

Lassiter was discovered on Monday, according to Lt. Karin Johnson, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

Johnson said guards normally check on inmates two to three times an hour. She said the woman was not on suicide watch, in which case guards would check every five to 10 minutes.

“She gave no indication she was at risk,” Johnson said.

Johnson could not say when Lassiter was arrested or on what charges, but said she had come into the custody of the Portsmouth City Jail on Friday and was to be transferred to the Hampton Roads Regional Jail.

Portsmouth police are investigating the death, as is routine in such cases, she said.