Police investigating mysterious death of Bucs' Devin White's father Carlos Thomas

Carlos Thomas, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White's father, died in custody this past Thursday at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Thomas had been in custody since last October on federal charges. He was 45 years old at the time of his death.

It is reported that Louisiana officials are investigating Thomas' cause of death. The coroner's office is cognizant of the matter, and Natchitoches Parish sheriff Stuart Wright is involved in the investigation as well.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles praised Devin White for playing against the Seattle Seahawks in Germany, flying out mere hours after learning about his father's death. Todd Bowles said,

"To lose your dad right before you're getting ready to go to Germany, and to come out and still play, it says a lot about the guy."

Devin White had a team-high nine tackles, one forced fumble and two sacks, despite his personal bereavement. White said of his father,

"It was very hard to play. Just a lot of emotions. But I tried to turn them into good emotions and just keep a great spirit. That's the relationship we had—just all about ball, all about just going out there and being the best and just getting this thing turned around."

It has been an emotional rollercoaster for him, and the fact that he could play at such a high level was a testament to the mental fortitude shown by the linebacker.

Who was Carlos Thomas?

Carlos Thomas was Devin White's father. He was 45 years old at the time of his death. As per reports, he was awaiting trial on federal charges. He was incarcerated on October 14 by the US Marshals Service.

In a touching tribute to his father, Devin White wrote about how much he missed his father. Not much is known about Carlos Thomas' life outside of a few scant details about his incarceration. But his Facebook page showed a father who was extremely proud of his son. He was the CEO of Platinum Hands Mobile Detailing Service, and his last post was on September 26.

How did Carlos Thomas die?

Full details have not been released about Carlos Thomas' death. What we know as of right now is that he complained of back pain while in custody. He was being transported via an ambulance to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center (NRMC).

He became unresponsive in the ambulance, and life-saving efforts by staff at NRMC proved unsuccessful. An autopsy is in progress to find out the cause of his death.