Inmate Death Being Investigated as Apparent Suicide

Commissioner: Timothy C. Ward

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

FORSYTH, Ga. – The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) is investigating the death of an inmate at Johnson State Prison in Wrightsville, Ga., as an apparent suicide.

On July 8, at approximately 3:20 p.m., Correctional Officers found inmate Derrick Felder (GDC#586224) unresponsive in his cell.  Emergency Medical Services were called and life saving measures were performed.  Felder was pronounced deceased by the coroner at approximately 4:45 p.m.  GDC is conducting an investigation into the death, as standard procedure. 

Felder was sentenced in Houston County to serve twenty years for Aggravated Assault.

About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.