'The Wire' Star, MD Native James Ransone, Found Dead In LA

LOS ANGELES — James Ransone, a Maryland native known for his roles in HBO's "The Wire" and multiple horror movie franchises, died by suicide, authorities said Sunday. He was 46.

The Los Angeles County Office of Medical Examiner reported that he was found on Friday and died by hanging himself inside a shed.

Ransone rose to fame for his turn in the critically acclaimed HBO show "The Wire," based on Baltimore's underworld. He starred in season two as the charismatic but vulnerable and ill-fated ne'er-do-well Ziggy Sobotka, appearing in 12 episodes in 2003.

David Simon, creator of "The Wire," was impressed by Ransone's Baltimore accent when he read for the part, according to The Baltimore Banner, which reported Ransone is a 1997 graduate of Towson's Carver Center for Arts & Technology.

“He committed not only to the work but to the camaraderie that turns every good film production into something familial and caring,” Simon said Sunday in a statement, the Banner reported.

Ransone also had roles in the shows "Generation Kill," "Treme," and "Bosch." His final TV appearance was in a Season 2 episode of "Poker Face" that aired in June.

"Rest In Peace To My Dear Brother, MR. JAMES RANSONE," Spike Lee, who directed Ransone twice, wrote in a post on Instagram. "We Rocked Together On RED HOOK SUMMER And INSIDE MAN."

Ransone's big-screen career also included roles in the films "Prom Night" (2008), "Sinister" (2012), "Sinister 2" (2015), "Tangerine" (2015), "Mr. Right" (2015), "It Chapter Two" (2019), "The Black Phone" (2021) and "Black Phone 2" (2025).

"RIP James Ransone. This hurt me so bad. Such a sweet and funny guy," Mya Taylor, Ranson's co-star in "Tangerine," wrote in an Instagram post. "He helped me deal with fame. He could light up a room with his smile and dimples. So funny and sweet and he will be missed. Love this man so much."

In 2021, Ransone came forward as a sexual abuse survivor, alleging that a former tutor sexually abused him numerous times at his childhood home in Phoenix, Maryland, the New York Post reported.

If you or someone you know is considering harming themselves, help is available. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by calling 988. Immediate help is also available in an emergency by dialing 911. Additional mental health and suicide prevention resources are available online.