The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating an inmate who died at the Chatham County Jail.
From a press release from the GBI on Wednesday:
At the request of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, GBI agents are investigating the death of Michael James Waller, Jr., age 31, of Savannah, Georgia, an inmate in the Chatham County Jail.
On Sunday, February 8, 2026, at about 10:30 p.m., Chatham County Jail staff observed Waller ingest an unknown substance. He was moved to a separate cell and monitored for several hours. Waller later began exhibiting medical symptoms and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, where he died.
Waller’s body will be taken to the GBI Crime Lab in Pooler for an autopsy.
According to records, Waller was booked into the Chatham County Jail on February 5, 2026 for misdemeanor obstruction and two holds for state custody. Inmates are searched before entering the facility and before moving to general population, so it is unclear if the substance was brought in by Waller and kept under wraps for several days or if the substance was obtained by Waller once he was behind bars.
Notably, the death occurred on Sunday, February 8, but WTOC reported that the GBI was not requested by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office until Tuesday, February 10.
Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Eastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
