MACON, Ga. — A Central State Prison inmate is dead, according to Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones.
He's suspected to have suffered from a drug overdose.
Thomas Kiker was confirmed dead by the Georgia Department of Corrections. They said he died on June 22. Jones said Kiker was 49 years old.
The corrections department said that Kiker was serving a 20-year sentence for child molestation. He had a maximum release date of February 2027.
They also said Kiker's body was turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab to determine the official cause of death, which is currently unknown. The corrections department said their office of professional standards is investigating.
Drugs and other contraband, which include things like cigarettes and cell phones alongside illegal drugs, have been an issue for Central Georgia state prisons recently.
Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran said as much recently.
"It's not just cell phones they're bringing. It's not just the food items they're bringing. They're bringing drugs," he said. "They're bringing weapons and things like that are being brought into the facilities."
In March 2024, the Georgia Department of Corrections and the FBI said an investigation into contraband led to over 1,000 charges and the arrest of 150 suspects. According to the release, eight of them were employees of the GDC.
As of March, their investigation led to the confiscation of 87 drones, 22 weapons, 185 pounds of tobacco, 67 pounds of marijuana along with a slew of other drugs, too.
Governor Brian Kemp and the GDC announced an in-depth, system-wide assessment of the state's prisons on Wednesday. They partnered with Guidehouse Inc. to conduct an unbiased and thorough system-wide assessment and develop recommendations.
Guidehouse, over the next year, will visit state prison facilities and will work with the GDC to gather information and develop a full assessment of Georgia's state prisons. They will then provide recommendations and implement support.
“Keeping Georgians safe continues to be my top priority,” Kemp said. “Since I took office in 2019, Georgia has made significant progress in bringing more violent criminals to justice; cracking down on criminal street gangs; investing in our brave law enforcement personnel, including corrections officers; and strengthening penalties on those who seek to threaten our communities. By ensuring our correctional facilities have the funding, technology, infrastructure, and operations to fulfill their mission, this comprehensive assessment is the next step in achieving a safer, stronger Georgia for all who call the Peach State home.”
13WMAZ will update this story as more information is revealed.
WHAT OTHERS ARE READING
MORE THAN A NUMBER
RELATED: More Than A Number: Family Form
More Than A Number is a Poynter-Stand Together award-winning project by Justin Baxley designed to help families of loved ones impacted by tragedy and trauma interact with journalists in a less intrusive way. Families are able to fill out a form about their family and also receive an in-depth guide on the next steps.
More Than A Number officially launched in August with a streaming special available on 13WMAZ+ for on-demand streaming. For any questions or concerns about More Than A Number, contact us here at the following email: MoreThanANumber@13wmaz.com.