Murder Suspect Found Dead in Cell
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 12 Office (GBI) is investigating the death of a recently-captured murder suspect at the Toombs County Detention Center. At approximately 4:56 p.m. on May 5, jailers found Wayne Robert Trautz, of Vidalia, not breathing in his jail cell, in which he was the only occupant. Jailers immediately administered CPR and alerted the jail nursing staff for response, as 911 dispatch was contacted to request Toombs EMS services. CPR continued until EMS arrived on the scene and took over the emergency treatment of Trautz.
Trautz was transported to Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, where doctors continued efforts to work to revive him, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. After some time, Trautz was pronounced deceased by hospital medical staff. GBI were called in to investicontinued from page
gate the situation, though Trautz’s death does not appear to be suspicious in nature. Upon his capture on April 28, Trautz was transported to the hospital for assessment and treatment of ongoing health issues before being released back to the Detention Center. Because of these ongoing health issues, the suspect was placed on a medical watch for precautionary reasons at 30-minute intervals.
Trautz was arrested April 28 as a result of a warrant for murder in the homicide of Richard Galbreath on February 14. He was denied bond during his virtual first appearance while in the hospital.
His death is believed to have stemmed from natural causes, but the Toombs County Sheriff’s Office has requested than an autopsy be performed and a Coroner’s Inquiry be conducted to review the findings of this investigation, which will be submitted to the Sheriff and Middle Georgia Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office upon completion.
