Authorities search for next of kin for inmate who died in jail

The Jefferson County Coroner’s office is seeking help finding family members of a state inmate who died June 1 in the Jefferson County Jail.

Travis Wayne Stephens, 54, was in a single cell in the jail for proceedings in Jefferson County Circuit Court, and was found dead. Authorities say he died of natural causes.

Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said the next of kin information the Department of Corrections had has been no help in locating Stephens’ family.

Yates has been able to find that Stephens lived in New York, then at some point he and his mother moved to Etowah County, possibly to the West End area.

“He apparently got into some trouble in Etowah County, then in Jefferson County, and was in the custody of the Department of Corrections,” he said. “He had been treated for blood pressure issues and was a diabetic.”

Yates said he had learned that Stephens’ mother died, but he does not know when and doesn’t know her name. He said he has found the names of two other relatives — an aunt named Zoriah Robinson who lived in the Atlanta area, and a Penny Robinson, exact relation unknown. He has not been able to reach either.