Did 'The Wire' actor James Ransone's past trauma contribute to his tragic death?
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Dec 22, 2025, 22:28 IST
Actor James Ransone, known for his role in 'The Wire,' dead at 46
Image credit : AP
Tragedy has struck the entertainment world as actor James Ransone, best known for his poignant portrayal of Ziggy Sobotka in "The Wire," has died at the age of 46. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed that the cause was suicide.
<p>FILE - Actor James Ransone, a cast member in "The Son of No One," poses at its premiere during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah, Friday, Jan. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok, File)</p>
Actor James Ransone, known for his role as Ziggy Sobotka in the HBO series "The Wire," has died at the age of 46. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office confirmed Ransone died by suicide on Friday. His wife, Jamie McPhee, has posted a fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on her social media profile.
Ransone's cause of death was listed as "hanging," and his place of death was recorded as "shed" in the medical examiner's records. His body is ready for release.
Ransone portrayed Frank Sobotka’s son, Baltimore dock worker Ziggy, in the second season of "The Wire." He appeared in 12 episodes of the critically acclaimed HBO series in 2003.
His film credits include "It: Chapter Two," "The Black Phone," and "Black Phone 2." Ransone also appeared in TV shows such as the cop drama "Bosch" and "Poker Face." His final TV appearance was in a Season 2 episode of "Poker Face" that aired in June.
Other notable television roles for Ransone included appearances in "Generation Kill" and "Treme."
In film, Ransone starred in "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).
In 2021, Ransone publicly shared that he was a sexual abuse survivor. He stated that his former tutor, Timothy Rualo, had sexually abused him multiple times at his childhood home in Phoenix, Maryland, over a six-month period in 1992.
Ransone made the accusation public by posting a lengthy note on Instagram that he sent to his alleged sexual abuser. "We did very little math," Ransone recalled.
"The strongest memory I have of the abuse was washing blood and feces out of my sheets after you left. I remember doing this as a 12 year old because I was too ashamed to tell anyone."
Ransone stated that the alleged abuse resulted in a "lifetime of shame and embarrassment." He told Rualo that his actions contributed to him becoming an alcoholic and a heroin addict.
After achieving sobriety in 2006, Ransone said he felt "ready to confront" his past. He later reported the accusations to Baltimore County police in March 2020.
A detective informed Ransone in September that prosecutors "had no interest in pursuing the matter any further," according to his email.
Messages seeking comment were left for representatives of Ransone on Sunday, as well as with a spokesperson for the medical examiner's office. The Post has reached out to reps for Ransone and "The Wire" creator David Simon for comment.
The critically acclaimed HBO series "The Wire" aired from 2002 to 2008, starring Dominic West, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Doman, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Frankie Faison, and Lawrence Gilliard Jr., among others.
Ransone's cause of death was listed as "hanging," and his place of death was recorded as "shed" in the medical examiner's records. His body is ready for release.
Ransone portrayed Frank Sobotka’s son, Baltimore dock worker Ziggy, in the second season of "The Wire." He appeared in 12 episodes of the critically acclaimed HBO series in 2003.
His film credits include "It: Chapter Two," "The Black Phone," and "Black Phone 2." Ransone also appeared in TV shows such as the cop drama "Bosch" and "Poker Face." His final TV appearance was in a Season 2 episode of "Poker Face" that aired in June.
Other notable television roles for Ransone included appearances in "Generation Kill" and "Treme."
In film, Ransone starred in "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).
In 2021, Ransone publicly shared that he was a sexual abuse survivor. He stated that his former tutor, Timothy Rualo, had sexually abused him multiple times at his childhood home in Phoenix, Maryland, over a six-month period in 1992.
Ransone made the accusation public by posting a lengthy note on Instagram that he sent to his alleged sexual abuser. "We did very little math," Ransone recalled.
"The strongest memory I have of the abuse was washing blood and feces out of my sheets after you left. I remember doing this as a 12 year old because I was too ashamed to tell anyone."
Ransone stated that the alleged abuse resulted in a "lifetime of shame and embarrassment." He told Rualo that his actions contributed to him becoming an alcoholic and a heroin addict.
After achieving sobriety in 2006, Ransone said he felt "ready to confront" his past. He later reported the accusations to Baltimore County police in March 2020.
A detective informed Ransone in September that prosecutors "had no interest in pursuing the matter any further," according to his email.
Messages seeking comment were left for representatives of Ransone on Sunday, as well as with a spokesperson for the medical examiner's office. The Post has reached out to reps for Ransone and "The Wire" creator David Simon for comment.
The critically acclaimed HBO series "The Wire" aired from 2002 to 2008, starring Dominic West, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Doman, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Frankie Faison, and Lawrence Gilliard Jr., among others.