GBI investigating death of inmate in Bacon County

BACON COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigations is investigating an inmate death.

On April 8, 2026, jail staff said they discovered a male inmate having medical complications at approximately 8:31 p.m. Bacon County EMS responded and took the inmate to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Mike Johnston, 66, of Alma, had been incarcerated since Dec. 18, 2024. The Bacon County Sheriff’s Office said he was awaiting a bed date with the Department of Corrections.

“The official cause of death is not known, but natural medical issues are probable,” wrote the Bacon County Sheriff’s Office in a social media post.

The GBI was requested to conduct an independent investigation.

“Sheriff Batten, following standard protocol for all jail deaths, requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to conduct an independent investigation of the incident,” continued the sheriff’s office in their post.

The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause of death.

The case has been turned over to the GBI and the coroner’s office.