Michael Wayne Harris, 46 of Madisonville, was arrested on May 12, 2023, and charged with possession of Schedule II methamphetamine for resale. Following a jury trial in June 2025, Mr. Harris was found guilty and sentenced to 18 years of incarceration. Mr. Harris was currently serving his time at the Monroe County Jail.

At approximately 6:16 a.m. this morning, a routine bed check was conducted by a correctional officer, with no issue observed in Mr. Harris’ cell. At approximately 6:21 a.m., another inmate walking past Mr. Harris’ cell noticed something appeared out of the ordinary and attempted to get a response from Mr. Harris or his cellmate, who appeared to be asleep, the inmate immediately went to the POD door to alert correctional staff.

Correctional officers responded and discovered Mr. Harris had attempted to take his own life using a bedsheet to hang himself. Correctional and medical staff immediately intervened, removed the sheet, and began life-saving measures, including CPR. Mr. Harris was subsequently transported to Sweetwater Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Following standard procedures, the District Attorney’s Office was notified, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has been requested to conduct an independent investigation into the incident. This investigation is ongoing and is standard protocol in any in-custody death.

No further information is available at this time.