Accused child molester dead of apparent natural causes in Middle Georgia jail

A Byron man who had since May been incarcerated at the Peach County jail on rape and child molestation charges was found dead in a cell Sunday, having apparently died of natural causes, officials said.

The inmate, Maurice Campbell, 37, had not been suffering from any known serious medical problems in recent weeks, Sheriff Terry Deese said Monday.

Deese said that Campbell had requested a medical examination in June but the sheriff said there was nothing notable about the results of that exam.

Campbell, jailed in early May on charges that also included enticing a minor for indecent purposes, was being held without bond.

The GBI, as is routine in jail deaths, was expected to conduct an investigation.

This story was originally published August 1, 2022 at 11:50 AM.

Joe Kovac Jr.

The Telegraph

Joe Kovac Jr. writes about local news and features for The Telegraph, with an eye for human-interest stories. Joe is a Warner Robins native and graduate of Warner Robins High. He joined the Telegraph in 1991 after graduating from the University of Georgia. As a Pulliam Fellowship recipient in 1991, Joe worked for the Indianapolis News. His stories have appeared in the Washington Post, the Seattle Times and Atlanta Magazine. He has been a Livingston Award finalist and won numerous Georgia Press Association and Georgia Associated Press awards.