Investigators Probe In-Custody Death at Marion County Jail - Articles

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Posted by: Azya Thornton on Mar 6, 2026

State investigators are investigating an in-custody death at the Marion County Jail in Jasper, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. The deceased arrestee was identified as Clifford Ray Rector Jr.. Rector had been arrested Monday for public intoxication. “He was put in the drunk tank and at some point became unresponsive,” Marion County Sheriff Ronnie “Bo” Burnett said Wednesday. Staff reportedly used a defibrillator on Rector and performed CPR until emergency medical technicians arrived. Rector was transported to Parkridge West Hospital in Jasper, where he was pronounced dead. Burnett said jail surveillance footage was provided to state investigators and the officers involved turned over their body cameras to aid the investigation.