By GARETT VALCOURT
An inmate awaiting trial in a 2024 double homicide case out of Holmes County was found dead in his cell early Sunday morning at the Walton County Jail, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).
Jessie Joe Raby, 26, was discovered unresponsive around 6:00 a.m. during routine morning procedures. Raby was being held at the Walton County Jail on behalf of Holmes County, where he faced two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of his mother and brother in October 2024.
According to WCSO, Raby had last been observed behaving normally during a 5:45 a.m. security check, which was part of the jail’s standard 30-minute observation protocol for inmates in confinement. Fifteen minutes later, during breakfast distribution, staff found Raby lying on his back on the cell floor.
Correctional staff initiated emergency protocols, entering the cell with a nurse. According to the sheriff’s office, the nurse discovered multiple foreign objects obstructing Raby’s airway, including a cloth, a sock, and pieces of toilet paper. The obstructions were removed, and CPR was administered until Emergency Medical Services arrived. Raby was pronounced deceased at 6:37 a.m.
WCSO reports that the incident was captured on surveillance video. The District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office responded and will perform an autopsy to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Preliminary findings suggest the death appears to be the result of Raby’s own actions, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Raby had been in custody since October 2024, following a multi-agency investigation involving the Bonifay Police Department, Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He was arrested after law enforcement responded to a welfare check at a McLaughlin Avenue residence in Bonifay and discovered two deceased individuals. Authorities later confirmed the victims were Raby’s mother and brother.
WCSO continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Raby’s death pending the results of the autopsy.
Staff Report 