Jema Schunke, 47, died in a Jacksonville hospital on August 22, 2025, one week after sustaining injuries in a fight with another inmate at the Duval County Jail, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Schunke was found unresponsive in her cell on August 15, 2025, and immediately received medical attention before being transported to a local hospital. Authorities determined her injuries were potentially life-threatening, prompting notification of cold case detectives, the Sheriff’s Office stated.
Virginia Hampton, 58, was subsequently re-arrested and charged with battery in a detention facility for her alleged involvement in the altercation. The initial investigation revealed Schunke and Hampton had engaged in a physical fight prior to Schunke being discovered unresponsive.
The death occurred weeks after a judge ordered Schunke’s transfer to a state facility, a transfer that had not been executed at the time of the incident. Details surrounding the delay in the transfer have not been released by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has not released further details regarding the circumstances of the fight or the extent of Schunke’s injuries.
As of February 24, 2026, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has not responded to requests for comment regarding the status of the investigation into Schunke’s death or the reasons for the delayed transfer.
