Inmate dies in South Carolina
By Elizabeth Billips Associate Editor

JONES

One of the Regions Bank robbers has died in federal custody.

Damien Jermaine Jones, 28, died Thursday night en route from Estill Correction Institution to the hospital.

According to Hampton County Coroner Gordon Rhoden, Jones became ill at the prison and was being rushed to the hospital for treatment.

While Rhoden would not comment on the nature of Jones' illness, he said a preliminary autopsy shows that Jones died of natural causes.

"There were no signs of trauma," Rhoden said, adding that he was still awaiting lab results.

Representatives from the prison did not return phone calls.

Jones had been at Estill since last spring when he and 29- year-old Christopher Cunningham were convicted of the 2005 bank heist in downtown Waynesboro. It was never clear whether Jones took part in the actual hold-up or drove the getaway car.

Jones was sentenced to 60 months for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and, along with Cunningham, was ordered to pay $8,600 in restitution.