Just six days after being sentenced to life in prison plus 45 years, an Athens man died of an apparent seizure while in jail Wednesday, authorities said.
George Frederick Jones, 48, was found unresponsive in his cell by a deputy and later died at Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. There were no signs of foul play, the sheriff’s office said.
The GBI was called in to investigate, which is standard procedure for in-custody deaths.
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The sheriff's office told the Athens Banner-Herald he was on medication for some health issues, but he had not been suffering from any known major medical conditions.
Jones was sentenced to prison for the rest of his life Feb. 14 after being convicted of shooting Krystal Howard, the 32-year-old mother of his child, multiple times in the head during a 2017 home invasion, Clarke County court records show.
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She survived her injuries, but he was convicted of multiple counts of criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault, first-degree home invasion, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
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Jones’ body was taken to the GBI’s State Crime Lab for an autopsy.
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