Roland Bourgeois Jr.
Roland Bourgeois, a 56-year-old man, died on February 19, 2019, while in federal custody at the Plaquemines Parish jail in Louisiana, where he was awaiting transfer to a federal prison. He was found unresponsive, taken to a hospital, and pronounced dead there, and his relatives were able to see him before his death was pronounced. The Plaquemines Parish Coroner's Office said he likely died of natural causes, and the sheriff's office said he arrived with serious pre-existing medical conditions, but the cause and manner of death were still pending an autopsy at the time of reporting. His attorney had described his frail health, and he was in a wheelchair at his final court appearance in the federal case.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness. The Plaquemines Parish Coroner's Office said there was no indication he died from anything other than natural causes, but the manner of death remained pending autopsy results.
Reported by: Plaquemines Parish Coroner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him).