Inmate Found Dead in Tuscaloosa County Jail Thursday Night, Investigation Underway

A 38-year-old inmate at the Tuscaloosa County Jail was found dead inside the facility Thursday night, police said Friday morning.

Marty Sellers, the co-commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, said deputies at the jail found the victim unresponsive around 8 p.m. Thursday.

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The inmate, a man, was declared dead soon after.

The Violent Crimes Unit, which investigates almost every death that occurs outside of a hospital setting in Tuscaloosa County, is looking into the matter.

Sellers said because the jail is run by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office, none of the investigators of supervisors assigned to the case will be affiliated with TCSO. Instead, VCU members from the Tuscaloosa Police Department, University of Alabama Police Department or the Northport Police Department will handle the case.

Sellers said their initial investigation, including a review of some surveillance video, does not suggest this was a case of foul-play or self-harm.

The victim's identity was not immediately released.

This is the third death inside the county jail in less than a year.

Last May, in a similar case, an inmate was found unresponsive and later declared dead.

A few months later, in August, a man was fatally beaten during an argument with another inmate inside the jail.

Stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread for updates on this case as they become available.