Autopsy shows Cedartown man held at the jail died of natural causes

♦ Douglas Ray Colvin was found unresponsive in his cell at the Polk County Jail.

CEDARTOWN — No foul play is suspected in the death of a Cedartown man who was being held in the Polk County Jail, according to local authorities.

Douglas Ray Colvin, 60, was discovered unresponsive in his cell by an inmate worker at around 5 a.m. on Monday, March 15, according to jail reports. Deputies and staff immediately responded to the scene and could find no pulse or signs of life.

After notifying 911, EMS and the Polk County Coroner’s Office responded to the jail, where Colvin was officially pronounced dead.

Polk County Coroner Norman Smith said the autopsy indicated Colvin died of natural causes. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office released a statement saying no foul play was suspected in the death.

Colvin, who was also an inmate worker, had been in jail since March 9 after being arrested by Cedartown Police and charged with failure to appear in court and a probation violation, according to jail records.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigations to investigate the incident and is also conducting a parallel investigation of its own, according to a release.

While neither investigation was complete as of Friday, PCSO Chief Deputy Jonathan Blackmon said GBI investigators traveled to the jail last week and conducted interviews with jail staff and inmates concerning the incident. He said sheriff’s office administrators have already pulled reports and checked surveillance footage to make sure all police and procedures were followed.

Smith said Colvin died sometime during the night, as he was accounted for during roll call on Sunday, March 14. The exact time of death has not been determined. Blackmon said jail staff was aware that Colvin had previous health issues and all inmates get a health check by the jail’s medical staff when they are first booked in.

Blackmon, Smith and Sheriff Johnny Moats made contact with Colvin’s family the morning he was found, for a death notification and to offer prayers for the family.

A memorial service for Colvin was held Saturday at New Bethel Baptist Church in Rome, according to an obituary provided by F.K. Jones Funeral Home.