Murphy – An inmate at the Cherokee County Detention Center fell ill and died the next day.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office identified the inmate as Charles Jefferies. According to court documents, Jefferies is a 77-year-old resident of Marble with an address listed as 289 Golden Pond Lane. However, his voter registration listed his address as 150 Penny Lane, which is Renewed Hope, a residential drug treatment facility.
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According to the sheriff’s office, Jefferies, a pretrial inmate at the jail facing a charge of second-degree trespass, complained about abdominal discomfort on the night of Jan. 14 and early Thursday morning. The jail nurse was immediately notified.
He was monitored overnight and seen by the nurse “first thing in the morning” Thursday, and “out of an abundance of caution, the inmate was transported to Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital in Murphy. Upon arrival at the hospital, the inmate’s condition declined drastically and emergent care was rendered unsuccessfully.”
He was pronounced dead at about 9:34 a.m. Thursday.
Trespass charge
Jefferies had a history of crimes, including breaking and entering, assault on a female and skipping bail.
More recently, under the name Charles Jeffries, he was the driver of a vehicle seen passing on a double yellow line at high speed on Hanging Dog Road on July 19, 2025, shortly before the vehicle ran over an embankment and caught fire. He was rescued by the driver of another vehicle who reported the incident.
He was charged with reckless driving to endanger, driving without a license or insurance, speeding and several other charges – five misdemeanors and four infractions in all, according to court records.
Under the name Charles Jefferies, he was arrested on Sept. 17, 2025, by the Murphy Police Department, which in a magistrate’s order alleged that he entered Murphy Tobacco & Vape Shop at 1505 Andrews Road after being ordered by the manager to stay out.
He was charged with second-degree trespass stemming from his presence at the tobacco shop. Second degree trespass is a Class 3 misdemeanor. A Class 3 misdemeanor in North Carolina is the least serious misdemeanor, punishable by up to 20 days in jail (more with priors) and a fine up to $200, covering offenses like minor speeding (15-plus over the speed limit or over 80 mph), minor drug possession (under 0.02 oz marijuana), and second-degree trespassing. These crimes are handled under structured sentencing rules, allowing for community, intermediate, or active jail time depending on prior convictions.
Bond was initially set at $250, but failure to appear at court led to increases to $500 and then $1,000, then $500 secured and finally $500 unsecured bond under the condition that he not return to Murphy Tobacco and Vape Shop. He was unable to post bond and remained in custody until his death.
Investigation continues
As per detention center protocol, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, Division of Health Service Regulation and medical examiner were promptly notified by jail administrators. Next of kin were also notified.
“The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and jail administration are fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation,” Capt. Octavio Aguero, the assistant jail administrator, said in a release. “The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Charles Jefferies.”
The detention center
The Cherokee County Detention Center, 577 Regal St., opened in 2008, replacing a jail built in 1922 behind the Cherokee County Courthouse.
The detention center has almost 150 inmate beds, including separate medical, juvenile, female and male pods. The facility is designed to handle the inmates with indirect supervision and laid out with seven separate dorms:
- One dorm for 14 inmates that are on the work detail program or that has been court ordered work release.
- One dorm housing 10 inmates (maximum security).
- One dorm housing six inmates in the medical ward.
- Two dorms housing 28 inmates, including one for women.
- Two dorms housing 32 inmates in each.
Medical services
According to the detention center’s website, the facility has an in-house Medical Division that provides health services to inmates. Services include, but are not limited to, initial medical screenings, medical histories, physical exams, and prescription and administering of needed medications.
“Medical staff work with community agencies and provide care for inmates with chronic conditions, communicable diseases, alcohol and drug detox needs, dental care, mental health services, and prenatal care,” the detention center’s website says.
“The in-house Medical Division helps to minimize unnecessary inmate trips to the hospital and excessive pharmacy costs, while also improving the quality of care for inmates incarcerated at the detention center.”