A state inmate housed at the Lafayette County Detention Center was pronounced dead early Wednesday after being found unresponsive in his cell, officials said.

According to a news release, deputies conducting routine checks discovered John Leath Halley Jr. unresponsive around 1:52 a.m. on Oct. 15, 2025. Deputies began life-saving measures and notified Lafayette County 911 Dispatch.

Baptist Ambulance Service and the Oxford Fire Department arrived at 1:58 a.m. and took over care, but paramedics with Baptist Ambulance ultimately pronounced Halley deceased.

Authorities said no foul play is suspected at this time. The Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death. The Mississippi Department of Corrections will lead the investigation, and inquiries sh

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