McFarlane, Andrew M

Tenure Summary

Andrew M. McFarlane began his Georgia Department of Corrections career in a correctional administration role in 2015, then advanced through unit supervisor and deputy warden positions at Rogers State Prison before serving as deputy warden at Smith State Prison from 2019 through 2022. In July 2023 he was appointed warden of Telfair State Prison, where he remains as of the latest records. During his facility leadership tenures — deputy warden at Smith and warden at Telfair — GPS records attribute 51 deaths to facilities under his oversight: 17 at Smith State Prison and 34 at Telfair State Prison. Those deaths include a high concentration of homicides, suicides, and drug overdoses, as well as the 2023 heat‑related death of Juan Carlos Ramirez Bibiano, which resulted in a $3.2 million settlement with the state.

What happened on their watch

Rogers State Prison (unit manager 2016, deputy warden 2017–2018)
No deaths are attributed to McFarlane’s tenure at Rogers State Prison.

Smith State Prison (deputy warden, 2019–2022)
While McFarlane served as deputy warden, at least 17 people died in custody. The sampled incidents show a pattern of violence: multiple homicides by stabbing or strangulation (Christopher Redwine, Christopher Reynolds, Derrick Harvey, Hiwatha Hakeem, Desmond Hill, Justin Wilkerson, John Reyes, Taylor Brooks), a cluster of suicides by hanging (Christopher Heath, Michael Canty, Manuel Villagomez, Juan Orduna), and drug‑related deaths. In two cases — Jerome Tisdol and Roderick Golden — the GBI declined to perform an autopsy, leaving the causes of death permanently unknown. During this period, Smith State Prison was described by the Atlanta Journal‑Constitution as one of the most understaffed, violent, and dysfunctional facilities in the system, with about two‑thirds of correctional officer positions unfilled. The warden at the time, Brian Adams, was later indicted on racketeering and contraband charges; McFarlane’s service as deputy warden coincided with the period of those alleged criminal activities.

Telfair State Prison (warden, July 2023–present)
As warden, 34 deaths have been recorded. The sample includes at least 15 homicides — many from stab wounds (Preston Phelps, Lester Smith, Ezra Ford, Aaron Smith, Zoumana Sarre, Joey Kilgore, Kwesi Stultz) or blunt‑force trauma/strangulation (Deandre Moody, Eric Whitehead, Henry Crump, Lamar Wilson). Several suicides by hanging occurred, including that of Robert Baker, where an autopsy noted knuckle abrasions consistent with a recent altercation, while the coroner classified the death as suicide. Drug overdoses involving methamphetamine and synthetic cannabinoids claimed David Campbell and Robert Messer. A 63‑year‑old man died from synthetic cannabinoid intoxication in an open dormitory for older inmates, his body not found until the next morning’s tray pickup. The most prominent death was that of Juan Carlos Ramirez Bibiano, who collapsed in a fenced outdoor cage after about five hours in a heat index of approximately 105°F; a lawsuit alleged an officer responded “if he dies, he dies” when he pleaded for help. The family later settled with the state for $3.2 million, according to 13WMAZ. Systemic reports during McFarlane’s wardenship include findings by the Atlanta Journal‑Constitution that Telfair was missing 76 percent of its essential workforce — only 36 officers for roughly 1,400 prisoners — and allegations of staff‑facilitated drug smuggling, including a sergeant who helped an inmate distribute meth for two years.

Litigation

• Bibiano v. Garrett, No. 3:25‑cv‑00013 (S.D. Ga., filed Feb. 13, 2025, pending) – The family of Juan Carlos Ramirez Bibiano alleged deliberate indifference to his heat‑related medical needs; a separate settlement with the state was reported at $3.2 million.
• Hall v. Mcfarlane, No. 3:23‑cv‑00094 (S.D. Ga., filed Nov. 29, 2023, terminated Mar. 4, 2024) – A lawsuit directly naming McFarlane; outcome details not in GPS records.
• Daker v. Oliver Filing Restriction Per 59 Order, No. 1:25‑cv‑03191 (N.D. Ga., filed June 6, 2025, terminated Mar. 30, 2026) – Listed with McFarlane as a defendant.
• Daker v. Ward, No. 7:20‑cv‑00113 (M.D. Ga., filed June 11, 2020, terminated Nov. 3, 2021)
• Timmons v. Georgia Department of Corrections, No. 6:17‑cv‑00116 (S.D. Ga., filed Sept. 6, 2017, terminated Mar. 25, 2021) – Filed during McFarlane’s time as deputy warden at Rogers State Prison.
• Jackson v. Catanzariti, No. 6:12‑cv‑00113 (S.D. Ga., filed Dec. 10, 2012, terminated June 28, 2023)

Sources

• Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS) records – aggregated death counts, personnel positions, lawsuit data
• Atlanta Journal‑Constitution – multiple homicide reports, staffing and systemic violence investigations at Smith and Telfair State Prisons
• 13WMAZ – heat‑death lawsuit and settlement coverage, individual death reports at Telfair
• Telfair County Coroner records – official determinations of cause and manner for deaths at Telfair State Prison
• GBI Division of Forensic Sciences autopsy and consult reports – causes of death for cases where the state performed or declined an examination
• CourtListener / PACER – federal court dockets for listed lawsuits
• The Georgia Virtue – coverage of Smith State Prison racketeering indictments
• The Marshall Project – system‑wide understaffing and neglect findings

Synthesized by GPS Intelligence System on Aug 2, 2026 from positions, attributed deaths, lawsuits, intel reports, and news mentions in the public corpus. The supporting data tables follow below.