The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is reporting the death of two inmates within the past 24 hours in unrelated incidents at the DeKalb County Jail.
This is the latest of several deaths reported at the jail in the last six months. In July, a Stone Mountain man died in his cell and a Decatur woman died in the jail’s infirmary. In August, two more inmates died — both from hangings that jail officials say were also unrelated.
The latest duo of deaths were Lithonia resident Anthony Lamar Walker, 34, who was found unresponsive in his jail cell on Dec. 26 and was pronounced dead by DeKalb EMS.
Walker had been in custody since Dec. 18 on charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Today, Clarkston resident Jackson Orukpete, 57, was found unresponsive in his jail cell and pronounced dead by DeKalb EMS. Orukpete had been in custody since July 25 on a charge of battery/family violence.
The Medical Examiner’s Office has not released information on the causes of death, pending investigations by the sheriff’s Office of Professional Standards.
Sheriff Melody Maddox has also requested an independent investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links.
