A 23-year-old inmate found unresponsive inside a cell at the Dyer County Jail on Thursday, April 16, has died, and investigators are now treating the case as a homicide, according to the Dyer County Sheriff's Office. Correctional officers discovered the man in his cell and rushed him to a nearby emergency room, where he was pronounced dead. Early investigative findings indicate he suffered a traumatic head injury.
FOX13 Memphis reports the inmate has been identified as 23-year-old Jaylien Kimble of Dyersburg. Officials told the outlet that a full autopsy has been ordered, and investigators are treating his death as a homicide while detectives work to determine how the head injury occurred inside the jail.
Investigation and Autopsy
The Dyer County Sheriff's Office says investigators responded to the jail after Kimble was found and requested a forensic review as part of the ongoing probe. In Tennessee, autopsies ordered by county medical examiners are conducted at regional forensic centers, such as the Middle Tennessee Regional Forensic Center, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
What Happens Next
Both the autopsy results and the sheriff's investigation will play a key role in any potential criminal findings, which are typically reviewed by the local district attorney's office. In a separate in-custody death last September, local coverage reported that investigators and the medical examiner forwarded autopsy results and investigative files to the 29th Judicial District Attorney for review, per Action News 5.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the case to contact the Dyer County Sheriff's Office. The agency's main phone number is available on its website. This story will be updated as officials release additional details.
