Carter, Samantha Denise

Tenure Summary

Samantha Denise Carter's career with the Georgia Department of Corrections began in administrative and financial support roles and only reached facility leadership in 2026. Records show Administrative Support positions at Hancock State Prison (2003) and Washington State Prison (2012), a Financial Operational Generalist post at Augusta State Medical Prison (2019), an Accounting Technician II role in 2022, a Financial Ops Generalist 2 assignment at Hancock State Prison in 2023, and Accounting Technician 3 posts in 2024 and 2025.

On January 16, 2026, Carter moved into the leadership tier as Deputy Warden of Administration at Augusta State Medical Prison, the role she held across every death recorded in this file; a Deputy Warden record at the same facility is dated August 27, 2026. Her GDC status is listed as active. Per GPS's death registry, 34 deaths are attributed to Augusta State Medical Prison during her leadership tenure, all recorded while she held the Deputy Warden of Administration role. Records show no lawsuits naming her as a defendant.

What happened on their watch

Augusta State Medical Prison — Deputy Warden of Administration (from January 16, 2026); also recorded as Deputy Warden (August 27, 2026)

Thirty-four deaths are attributed to Augusta State Medical Prison during Carter's leadership tenure there. GPS's registry lists the following 25:

• Donnie Gene Poland died September 15, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical.
• Demilo Ponchorello Johnson died September 10, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison; Natural/Medical.
• Donald Hugh Young died August 5, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison; the cause is Unknown/Pending — GPS does not yet know it.
• Phillip Curtis Walker died July 16, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 62; Unknown/Pending.
• Kolby Young died July 13, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 24; Unknown/Pending.
• Edouard Kamdem died July 12, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 77; Unknown/Pending.
• Joseph Daniel Bristol died July 11, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 73; Unknown/Pending.
• David James Vineyard died July 3, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 58; Unknown/Pending.
• Jerry Watson died July 2, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 75; Unknown/Pending.
• Wanique Marsay Odwin died June 29, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 44; Homicide.
• David Meeks died June 20, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 62; Unknown/Pending.
• James Dean Wilkinson died May 28, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 69; Unknown/Pending.
• Jacobi Alandis Chomicki died May 22, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 23; Homicide.
• Frederick Raskin died May 12, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 84; Unknown/Pending.
• Henry Ross died May 11, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 56; Natural/Medical.
• Manuel Gomez died May 9, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison; Unknown/Pending.
• Robert Bruce Green died May 5, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 69; Natural/Medical.
• Lemarcus Antonio Dunson died April 27, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 50; Natural/Medical.
• Walter Caldwell died April 25, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 49; Natural/Medical.
• Jackie Mccoy Blackmon died April 25, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 72; Natural/Medical.
• Edward Eugene Barber died April 22, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 72; Natural/Medical.
• Tristan Mclennon Trimm died April 9, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 42; Unknown/Pending.
• Ervin Cross died March 24, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 46; Natural/Medical.
• Lenward Brown died March 20, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 73; Natural/Medical.
• Wilburn W Dobbs died March 6, 2026, at Augusta State Medical Prison, age 76; Unknown/Pending.

Among the recorded causes above, the registry shows 10 Natural/Medical deaths, 2 Homicides and 13 Unknown/Pending; ages range from 23 to 86 in the underlying death records, including several decedents in their 20s and 30s. GPS intel reports dated inside this tenure describe a 2026 death in which the person was reportedly never moved from the dorm to medical care (cause described as likely natural but unconfirmed), a reported hanging death that placed the facility under emergency count on July 13, a fatal stabbing reportedly by a gang-affiliated individual, and a stabbing that occurred while the facility was already on lockdown. Additional 2026 allegations include an altercation during medication distribution in which an incarcerated person allegedly stabbed an officer who then used physical force, a serious stabbing incident, head and face injuries consistent with severe use of force or assault, and an anonymous tip that multiple people arrived from other state facilities with assault-consistent injuries. A family member's March 10, 2026 report alleges medication denial and diversion, housing of vulnerable people with those known to have sexual-assault histories, gang-functioned authority attributed to understaffing, removal of medically-waived lower bunks, extended lockdowns, destruction of legal property, a non-functional grievance system, and staff self-censorship from fear of retaliation. A February 16, 2026 report alleges a staff member verbally abused and withheld catheter and feeding care from a person with severe disabilities.

AJC reporting dated February 10, 2026, cited in these records, covers a 2024 DOJ report describing violence, sexual assault and gang-run prisons, an AJC investigation into corruption, understaffing and record homicides, and a federal judge's contempt finding over conditions in a high-security wing near Jackson, with Judge Self calling GDC's disregard of an appellate order "shocking." A February 11, 2026 hearing and the Benning v. Oliver litigation over email-contact restrictions name GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver, not Carter. GDC's Office of Professional Standards is recorded as investigating deaths as standard procedure (June 2, 2026). The same period includes the facility's Pups in the Pen program surpassing 120 dog adoptions (August 2026).

Sources

• GPS death registry — cause and date entries for 25 deaths at Augusta State Medical Prison during 2026 tenure
• GPS intel reports and case submissions — 2026 allegations of stabbings, suicide, medical neglect, use of force and facility conditions
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution — February 2026 reporting on the 2024 DOJ findings, GDC understaffing and homicides, and the contempt ruling
• Court records referenced in AJC reporting — Benning v. Oliver and the federal contempt proceeding (naming Tyrone Oliver)

Synthesized by GPS Intelligence System on Oct 11, 2026 from positions, attributed deaths, lawsuits, intel reports, and news mentions in the public corpus. The supporting data tables follow below.