Gordon County Coroner Nick Blalock has released the identity of an inmate who died while in custody at the Gordon County Jail last week.
The inmate has been identified as 26-year-old James Pierce of Plainville, Georgia.
According to Blalock, Pierce was found unresponsive in his cell on the morning of Thursday, October 15, 2026.
“The Gordon County Coroner’s Office confirms that James Pierce, 26, of Plainville, Georgia, was found unresponsive in his cell on the morning of Thursday, October 15, 2026. The Coroner’s office is working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as its investigation continues and with the family of Mr. Pierce during this difficult time,” Blalock said.
The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office initially reported the death last Thursday, stating that jail staff discovered the inmate unresponsive in his cell during the early morning hours.
Emergency medical personnel were called to the jail and responded to the scene, but efforts to save the inmate were unsuccessful.
Following the death, Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston announced that his office had requested an independent investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is standard procedure in cases involving an inmate death while in custody.
GBI agents responded to the jail along with sheriff’s detectives and the Gordon County Coroner.
The cause and manner of Pierce’s death have not been released.
The GBI-led investigation remains active and ongoing, with additional information expected to be released as it becomes available.