An inmate at Harnett Correctional Institution, identified as Timothy Sampson Byrd, was pronounced dead early Tuesday after being found unresponsive in his cell late Monday night. Authorities reported that prison officials attempted life-saving measures before EMS arrived and transported Byrd to a nearby hospital. Byrd, who was 35, had been serving a sentence for drug trafficking since June 2023, with a projected release in February 2029. The N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, alongside law enforcement, is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Byrd’s death to determine the cause and any underlying factors.
