A former middle school gym teacher convicted of repeatedly raping a 15‑year‑old girl has been found dead in prison.
Ernest Nichols, 60, was discovered unresponsive inside his cell at Greene Correctional Institution in Maury County, North Carolina, early Sunday morning at about 6:50 a.m. Officials say the facility was immediately placed on lockdown, and Nichols was pronounced dead roughly 30 minutes later.
Nichols was convicted in 2011 of statutory rape and was serving a 15‑year sentence, with a projected release date in September 2027.
On Tuesday, authorities issued a murder warrant for inmate Wilbert Baldwin, 41, who is already serving time for second‑degree murder. Officials believe Baldwin is responsible for Nichols’s death.
Nichols’s case dates back to 2009, when he was formally charged with statutory rape and multiple other sex offenses. According to court records, the abuse spanned a six‑month period beginning in fall 2008.
Investigators also uncovered disturbing details: Nichols allegedly posed as his teenage son on social media to communicate with the victim, sent her sexually explicit messages (“text me when you shower,” for instance), and coached her on how to describe their encounters if questioned. Other allegations include video recordings, photographs, and sex toys seized from his home.
The abused teenager was not a student at the school where Nichols taught. Before his arrest, the victim’s mother confronted him; Nichols reportedly responded by calling himself a “pig.” During the criminal proceedings, Nichols was combative, refusing to fully cooperate when asked to enter a plea and claiming he didn’t understand the charges. He had to be physically restrained to enter his pleas.
Investigations into his death are ongoing. Once served with the murder warrant, Baldwin was transferred by North Carolina’s Department of Adult Correction to remain in custody for further proceedings.
Be sure your sins will find you out