Chatham County Jail Inmate Dies After Ingesting Unknown Substance

SAVANNAH, Georgia – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is probing the death of a 31-year-old Savannah man who died after a medical emergency at the Chatham County Jail, officials said.

At the request of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, GBI agents are investigating the death of Michael James Waller Jr., an inmate at the jail.

According to authorities, jail staff observed Waller ingest an unknown substance at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, February 8, 2026. He was moved to a separate cell and monitored for several hours.

Waller later began exhibiting medical symptoms and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He subsequently died.

His body will be taken to the GBI Crime Lab in Pooler for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be submitted to the Eastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.