Details of Nikolas Cruz’s life behind bars have been revealed for the first time since he was jailed on February 14.
According to new court documents, the teenage gunman is laughing and giggling at Broward County Jail in Parkland, Florida, where he has a cell to himself and is considered polite and well groomed by guards.
On one occasion, he has asked for a bible to read at night.
He has been visited by one, unidentified family member but other than that person his only visitors have been doctors and his public defenders.
At first, Cruz was in general population but the high profile nature of his crimes led him to be segregated from other inmates who are awaiting their own court dates.
Nikolas Cruz (seen above in an RTCO pictured taken before he left school) has been quiet in jail and is considered well-groomed, responsive and engaged
The records, which were obtained by CNN, begin on February 17, three days after the massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School.
On that day, police noted that he was in a single cell in the infirmary. He showered at 1pm and ate his entire meal.
The next morning, he shunned breakfast and drank juice instead. A deputy described him lying on his back, staring at the ceiling and being ‘calm’.
During an interview that day with a doctor, another deputy took notes and said he was ‘responsive’.
On February 19, he was labeled ‘cooperative’ by guards who said he would do what they asked of him.
They described him as being ‘well-groomed’ with a ‘quiet demeanor’.
‘He follows commands and talks softly,’ said one deputy. Another said he appears to ‘stare blankly’ and often looks like he is lost in thought.
Others remarked that he was ‘in bed frequently but does not appear to sleep’ and one deputy described his speech as ‘slow and slurred’.
On February 20, he ‘broke out in laughter’ after an evening visit from an unknown person.
The following day, deputies said he appeared ‘restless at night’ and ‘ate little of his food’.
Later that week, he ate ‘most’ of his breakfast, a dish of 4 slices of bread, 1 apple, 1 jelly, 1 peanut butter cookies, 1 bag of cookies, juice.
Cruz has his own cell at the Broward County Jail (above). Guards there have described him as ‘well-groomed’ and ‘responsive’
On February 1, deputies gave the following description of his behavior.
‘Seems coherent. Minimal interaction during shift.’
Another said: ‘Ate very little of his food … slept most of the time.
‘However, appeared restless for part of night.’
On the same day, another deputy said he ‘avoided eye contact’.
‘Inmate nods his head as a response initially but uses normal speech when prompted,’ they noted.
The 19-year-old is struggling to sleep in his bunk and often ‘tosses and turns’ at night. He is pictured in a social media picture taken before the massacre
Cruz, above in another social media picture, does not speak to other inmates, from whom he is separated, but is cooperative with the guards and is responsive with his lawyers and doctors. He is pictured with his public defender Melissa McNeill
After being unable to sleep for several nights in a row, Cruz (above in a social media picture) asked for a bible to read on February 24
On February 23, he refused to come out of his cell for recreational time but was observed ‘laughing and giggling’ with his lawyers.
Many described him being unable to sleep at night and ‘twisting and turning’ in his bunk.
One deputy wrote in their description: ‘Twists) and turns in bunk, does not sleep, stares at wall in deep thought, eyes closed, appears to be resting, not asleep.’
On February 24, he requested a bible to read after another sleepless night.