Inmate’s death due to ‘Widow Maker’ heart condition

Published 10:12 am Wednesday, August 9, 2017

A Lafayette County inmate who died last week apparently suffered from an enlarged heart and a 90 percent obstruction of an artery, resulting in what’s commonly known as the “widow maker” heart attack.

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office released preliminary findings on Thomas Hamer III’s autopsy report this morning, according to the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department. The report revealed Hamer was hypertensive and had atherosclerosis cardiovascular cardiomegaly – or an enlarged heart. He also has left ventricular hypertrophy – or LVH, a condition in which the muscle wall of the heart’s left pumping ventricle becomes thickened. His anterior interventricular artery was found to have an obstruction of approximately 90 percent.

There was no evidence of significant injury.

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The report is preliminary and toxicology reports are still unavailable, according to the sheriff’s department.

Hamer, of Michigan City, Mississippi, was transported via ambulance to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi Friday where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Hamer, 41, was being held on federal charges of possession of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was scheduled to sign a plea agreement at the Federal Courthouse in Oxford on Wednesday.