Family of Elberta man who died in Foley jail feeling 'déjà vu' with loss of 2nd son in Baldwin County

Chris Myers was local chef, leaves 2 kids, father says; Other son killed in 2011

By Kara Mautz
Reporter
kara@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 3/3/23

Family members rocked by the tragic death of one son over 10 years ago said they are feeling déjà vu this week after another son was found dead in his Foley jail cell Feb. 26.Chris …

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Family of Elberta man who died in Foley jail feeling 'déjà vu' with loss of 2nd son in Baldwin County

Chris Myers was local chef, leaves 2 kids, father says; Other son killed in 2011

Posted

Family members rocked by the tragic death of one son over 10 years ago said they are feeling déjà vu this week after another son was found dead in his Foley jail cell Feb. 26.

Chris Myers, a 39-year-old Elberta resident, was found unresponsive at Foley Municipal Jail the morning after being booked.

Craig Myers, his father, told Gulf Coast Media the family was shocked by the news of Chris’s death and still has questions for the jail's staff.

“We are mostly confused about the timeline,” Myers said. “He was picked up Sunday morning, and officers said he was talking coherently and eating. They said he was drunk when he arrived at the jail, but it’s hard to put all of it together and you would think he would have been better 18 to 20 hours later [at the time of his death].”

Myers said police never contacted him regarding Chris’s death, and the family did not become aware until later Monday morning when Chris’s sister went to the jail to post his bail. Instead, she was told he had died.

“Our daughter heard that he was arrested and was going to bail Chris out,” Myers said. “When she arrived, officers told her that Chris had been found dead around 7 a.m.”

Myers expressed frustration over the situation, saying the family feels Foley police were responsible for his son's wellbeing and should have been watching him more closely.

“We know the autopsy has been completed, but it will not be available for a while and we have not seen the toxicology report,” said Myers. “We were not aware that Chris was doing any drugs at the time, but I believe he was on pain medication for a few of his health problems.”

Myers said his wife had talked to their son a few days before his arrest and that he had been complaining of back pain.

Myers said the situation has stirred up painful memories. His other son, Timothy Russell Myers, was a victim of a homicide in Loxley in 2011.

“It’s déjà vu, very tragic for this family that two brothers died within 10 miles of each other in Baldwin County,” Myers said. “We have experienced both now and back then that God is the God of all comfort and is close to the broken-hearted.”

Myers acknowledged that while the two situations are different, the similarity lies in uncovering the truth of what happened to both of their sons.

Myers said Chris leaves behind two children, a 10-year-old son [Liam Myers] and 16-year-old daughter [Autumn Myers],  as well as a 20 year-old stepson [Christopher Martinez].

“Chris was a well-regarded chef in Baldwin County. He worked in different seafood restaurants in the area,” Myers said. “He was a loyal friend; he loved to fish and go to the beach, and he was even engaged to a lady [Heather Blackman] in Baldwin County. He was arrested on a misdemeanor, but that should not be a death sentence.”

A cause of death for Chris Myers has not yet been released. Police initially said there were no external signs of trauma or self-inflicted injury.