A New Milford man accused of killing his mother in June reportedly died by suicide in his cell at Garner Correctional Institution July 10, according to Department of Correction officials.

DOC officials said Eric Meagan, 34, was found at 3:27 pm in his cell at the Newtown facility with a ligature tied to his neck. He was the only person in the cell at the time.

Correctional and medical staff immediately initiated emergency and life-saving measures.

Paramedics on scene at Garner contacted an emergency room doctor at a local hospital, who authorized the presumption of death at 3:52 pm.

The state medical examiner’s office determined Meagan died from hanging and has ruled his death a suicide.

Meagan was arrested on June 5 after he called police to inform them he killed his mother, Victoria Palmer, 56, by drowning her in the Still River near Harrybrooke Park in New Milford. Sources say officers pulled Palmer from the water.

She was pronounced dead at a local hospital a short time later.

According to the incident report, Meagan had been having a “hard time” for several weeks prior to the drowning and that he had been “feeling tormented by demons.” Meagan said he had sought help for his mental health. He told authorities that he was “sacrificing his mother to make the demons stop.”

Meagan was transferred to the correctional institution on Nunnawauk Road in Newtown on June 15 after entering the New Haven Correctional Center June 6.

He was being held on a $2 million bond, and was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, July 11.

The Department of Correction Security Division and Connecticut State Police are investigating the death.

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.