An inmate committed a shooting inside a rural South Georgia prison with a contraband weapon. He took the life of a kitchen staffer and himself. The male inmate, Jaydrekus Hart, was reportedly in a relationship with the female staffer, Aureon Grace. He had been imprisoned since 2015, and he was serving over 20 years at the Smith State Prison on a manslaughter conviction. A prison safety advocate warned the institution of the presence of a gun in May 2023. Smith State Prison says the matter was investigated, but no leads were generated.
The prison was the scene of another inmate-on-staff incident earlier this year when a prison guard was killed by an inmate with a homemade weapon. The previous warden, Brian Adams, was fired and arrested in February 2023. Adams was charged with racketeering, bribery, making or writing false statements, and violating his oath as a public officer.
SOURCES:
Inmate used gun to kill a prison kitchen worker before killing himself, officials say – ABC News
Prison worker may have had relationship with inmate – YouTube
Georgia Department of Corrections recovers murder-suicide gun. How did it get in Smith State Prison? – YouTube
