Lee Michael Creely
Lee Michael Creely, who was 34 according to one record, died on September 6, 2020, while held at the Chatham County Detention Center in Savannah, Georgia. His father, Michael Creely, said he never expected to bury his son, and the mother of Lee's children, Jessica Hodges, said the family lives with this loss every day. The Chatham County District Attorney's Office said the cause of death was a fentanyl overdose, while the family's lawsuit alleges he was denied proper withdrawal medication and that officers falsely logged required security checks as he grew sicker. A prosecutor also said he died by suicide after a jail officer allegedly failed to check on a person in a suicidal state, and four jail officers were later fired over the death.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). The district attorney's office says he died of a fentanyl overdose, a prosecutor also said he died by suicide after an officer did not check on him, and his family's lawsuit says he was denied withdrawal medication and officers falsely logged required security rounds.
Reported by: Chatham County District Attorney's Office (outside investigators); his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Chatham County over his death at the Chatham County jail and the county settled for half a million dollars in 2025.