Died in jail or a lockup
Matthew Howard Roark
Matthew Howard Roark, 39, of Granite Falls, died in his cell at the Caldwell County Detention Center in Lenoir, North Carolina, on Thursday, August 6, 2026. The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office said his cellmate alerted detention staff that something was wrong. The State Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are investigating, and the cause and manner of death are pending the autopsy and toxicology results.
Cause of death, as reported: Cause not yet determined
Reported by: Caldwell County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (outside investigators); North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (medical examiner or coroner).