Ernest Nichols, 60, a former physical education teacher convicted in 2011 of statutory rape involving a minor, was found dead in his prison cell at Greene Correctional Institution in North Carolina on October 5. He was serving a 15-year sentence and was scheduled for release in 2027.

Nichols had worked for 14 years at Ranson Middle School in Charlotte before being suspended without pay in 2009 following serious allegations. His arrest led to multiple charges and his eventual conviction.

According to the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Nichols was discovered unresponsive around 6:50 a.m. Staff performed emergency life-saving efforts, and emergency responders arrived quickly. He was pronounced dead at 7:22 a.m. Following his death, the prison was placed on lockdown.

On October 7, authorities revealed that inmate Wilbert Baldwin, 41, who is serving a separate sentence for second-degree murder, was served with a murder warrant related to Nichols’ death. Baldwin was taken back into custody without bond. The investigation is ongoing and is being led by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation alongside Greene County authorities.

Prior to his conviction, Nichols reportedly had inappropriate interactions with a teenage girl outside his school. Support resources are available for those affected by sexual abuse, including the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or online at online.rainn.org.