MACON, Ga. — A Central High School teacher and coach died this week, a day after being placed on administrative leave.
School spokeswoman Stephanie Hartley declined to comment on how the teacher, Jacob Dyer, died. She referred questions to the Houston County Sheriff's Office.
But the Houston County Sheriff's Office says a man by the same name was found dead Thursday on Davis Drive, a dirt road near Kathleen, off Highway 247.
Lt. Kent Bankston with the Houston County Sheriff's Office says someone saw Jacob Dyer’s car on Davis Road around 8 a.m. Thursday.
That person came home from work at 5 p.m. and saw the same car in the same spot and called the sheriff's office.
Bankston says deputies found Dyer in his car with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He says Dyer’s roommate had planned to report him missing.
Bankston says the sheriff's office sees an uptick in suicides during the colder months.
"I mean, this is a tragic thing. We would definitely like to see it stop if we could but, you know, how do you do that? I don't know that there is an answer to that," said Bankston.
Hartley would not comment on why Dyer was placed on leave, saying it was a personnel matter.
She says the school notified Central High families Friday morning that Dyer had died, but did not provide details.
In the automated call, Principal Emanuel Frazier said Central would have additional counselors and staff in the building Friday for support.
According to his online bio, Dyer taught social studies and was offensive coordinator for Central's football team.
He was a native of Lincoln, Nebraska, and a 2017 graduate of North Dakota State University. Dyer was also active on Twitter, commenting frequently on sports.
One of his last Tweets paid tribute to Kobe Bryant, noting, "His last Tweet was showing respect to someone else. Life is too short to take it for granted."
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