Thursday, 4:30 PM
Burglary suspect dies four days after falling off cliff in Swampscott
By Globe Staff
The Swampscott burglary suspect who fell off a cliff last week while running from police died Saturday, according to a statement issued today by the Essex district attorney’s office.
Alex Bonah, 34, fell while scaling down a cliff behind Paradise Road. He was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he died at 12:15 a.m. Saturday. An autopsy by the medical examiner determined that he died from head trauma suffered during the accidental fall.
According to police and prosecutors, Bonah burglarized a home on Bank Road at 1 p.m. on July 4 and stole jewelry and about $100 in cash. A neighbor witnessed the break-in and called police.
Swampscott police responded, and four officers chased the Revere resident on foot to Paradise Road. According to authorities, Bonah ignored orders to stop and tried to climb down the 40- to 50-foot-high cliff. "No officers were near him at the time of his fall," according to the district attorney’s statement.
