MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tyler Watkins, the man who fled during his trial and was found guilty of rape charges, was found dead over the weekend, according to the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities found Watkins with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. They told WREG he was behind a South Memphis building and identified at the Shelby County Medical Examiners by law enforcement officers.

Watkins didn’t attend court last week, but a jury found him guilty of multiple charges. He was sentenced to life plus an additional 176 years and imposed a fine of $10,000.

He had the following charges:
Rape
First-Degree Computer Exploitation of a Child
Producing/Directing Sexual Performance Under 17
Computer Child Pornography
Distributing/Possessing or Viewing Matter Depicting Sexually Explicit Conduct Involving a Child
Sexually Grooming a Child
Child Under 17 Sex Performance

Todd Grooms, Crittenden County Chief Deputy, said Watkins had been in the facility numerous times.

“They discovered that his ankle monitor was still at his residence, and he had cut it off,” Grooms said.