08/12/2026
Media Release
We want to address a recent social media post about the release of a “70-year-old male veteran with dementia” as reported to a Facebook group by an anonymous member.
The man in question is 67-year-old Eugene Thompson, who the Glynn County Police Department picked up on August 2, 2026, on a failure-to-appear warrant.
Mr. Thompson was released from the Glynn County Detention Center on August 11, following a judge’s order.
Mr. Thompson had no contact with his family while he was in the GCDC. After release from the detention center, Mr. Thompson walked around the building and entered the Sheriff’s Office lobby, confused and not sure what to do or where to go.
Chief of Staff, Colonel Morales, spoke with Mr. Thompson and tried to contact his family. Morales did make contact with Mr. Thompson’s son in Jacksonville, FL, and the son declined to help his father.
Repeated calls were made to the phone number provided for Mr. Thompson’s wife. Her phone went unanswered, and her voicemail box was unable to take messages. No home address was provided for Mr. Thompson.
Morales then began contacting community organizations, but they were either closed or unable to help. Colonel Morales also contacted the VA and several churches in the area but received no assistance.
Mr. Thompson was placed in a motel and asked to stay put until we could get him safely home this morning (again, no address was known). The motel and his meals were paid for by a Glynn County Sheriff’s Deputy.
Thankfully, Mr. Thompson was reunited with his wife on Wednesday, August 12, after a concerted effort to locate him after he left the hotel on foot.
We at the Sheriff’s Office feel this needs to be addressed for several reasons.
Every day, the Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center work with hundreds of people who have different types of mental illness, such as dementia, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychotic conditions, or personality disorders.
Often the family is nonexistent, absent, or no longer able to deal with the situation. Inmates are held and released by court order. Judges sign warrants and release orders that govern the detainment and the release or transfer of inmates.
Unfortunately, inmates are often released with no one there to pick them up. Inmates often stay in jail because no one will pay the bond to release them.
The Glynn County Detention Center, like many others across the country, has become a mental health facility by default. This is because there are not enough mental health resources available to help people who need or want support. Some refuse any help offered.
Detention centers have become a catch-all for people in need. If you have thoughts or concerns about this issue, please contact your State Representatives to talk about possible funding solutions or get involved with local community groups so they can expand their ability to help in these sad situations that happen too often.
This is not the first time staff of the GCDC/GCSO have provided a place to stay and meals. While these acts of kindness usually go unnoticed, the compassion they show is truly remarkable.
