Augusta Woman Facing Murder Charges Dies In Jail

State Police say the woman who was charged Monday with murder in connection with an Augusta homicide in November, died this afternoon (Jan. 27). 

According to Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland, Zina Fritz, 27, was found hanging by a bed sheet in her jail cell. The discovery was made by correction officers at the Kennebec County Jail in Augusta about 2PM.

McCausland said Fritz was rushed to MaineGeneral in Augusta by ambulance and died en route.  Her body was then transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy.

As is standard with all deaths in Maine jails, State Police and the Maine Attorney General's Office will investigate the death, according to McCausland. Detectives arrived at the jail shortly after the hanging was reported by the sheriff's office to begin that phase of the investigation.

Fritz and her boyfriend, Michael Sean McQuade, 45, were indicted late last week by the Kennebec County Grand Jury. Fritz and McQuade lived in the apartment at 75 Washington St. where the Nov. 23 murder took place, police said. The body of 31-year-old Joseph Marceau of Augusta was found in the fourth floor apartment after police were called to the building for a disturbance.

Detectives arrested 25-year-old Damik Davis of Queens NY the day of the homicide and charged him with murder. He continues to be held at the Kennebec County Jail.