James Ransone, The Wire Fame, Dies By Suicide At 46; Condolences Pour In

James Ransone, the actor who played Ziggy Sobotka in the popular series The Wire, died on Friday, December 19. He was 46. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office said in online records that Ransone died by suicide. He was found hanging in a shed, as per official records.

Who was James Ransone?

James Ransone was born on June 2, 1979, in Baltimore, to Vietnam War veteran James Finley Ransone II and Joyce (née Peterson). He studied at the George Washington Carver Centre for Arts and Technology.

He made his debut in the TV world in 2001 with the show Law & Order. He appeared in two episodes. The same year, he got the opportunity to appear in the film The American Astronaut. However, it was in 2003, he rose to fame after portraying Ziggy Sobotka, the troubled son of a dockworker, during the second season of The Wire. Since then, there was no looking back for the Ransone. He appeared in numerous TV shows and films.

About James Ransone's TV and Film career

He appeared in several shows, including Generation Kill (opposite Alexander Skarsgård), Treme, Low Winter Sun, The First and Bosch. His last appearance on TV was earlier this year on the show Poker Face.

In the films, he starred in Sinister, It: Chapter Two, Tangerine, The Black Phone and Inside Man. He was last seen in October 2025 in The Black Phone 2, marking his final appearance on the big and small screens.

When James Ransone opened up about being sexually abused as a kid

In May 2021, Ransone took to his Instagram handle and revealed he was sexually abused by his math tutor, Timothy Rualo, at his home in 1992. He filed a complaint with Baltimore County police in March 2020, but they refused to pursue the charges after an investigation. He wrote, "We did very little math... The strongest memory I have of the abuse was washing blood and faeces out of my sheets after you left. I remember doing this as a 12-year-old because I was too ashamed to tell anyone.”

Fans pay tribute to James Ransone

Soon after the news broke, his fans took to social media to express their shock and console his death. Wendell Pierce wrote, "Sorry I couldn’t be there for you , brother. Rest in Peace James Ransone."

A fan wrote, "Rest in Peace James Ransone. You portrayed Eddie Kaspbrak so well. A character so loved and important in my childhood. You will always be EDDIE. Rest in eternal peace."

Another user wrote, "I can’t believe the news, James Ransone gave us an Eddie for the history books. Amazing actor, can’t believe he is gone." A user wrote, "Forever 46… We will miss you, James Ransone."

Ransone is survived by his wife and their two children.

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