The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), is located in the Robert G. Clark, Jr. Bldg., at 301 N. Lamar Street in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today

The second in command of the Mississippi Department of Corrections may be without a job after his biography disappeared from the agency’s website and was replaced with that of a new commissioner. 

Karei McDonald Jr., who began working for the department in February 2020, was the executive deputy commissioner and deputy commissioner of administration and finance. 

Karei Mcdonald, , who began working for the Mississippi Department of Investigative Reportingin February 2020, was executive deputy commissioner and deputy commissioner of administration and finance. Credit: Courtesy of MDOC

His biography was removed from MDOC’s executive leadership page, and by Friday morning was replaced with that of Derrick Garner as deputy commissioner of administration and finance. Garner’s biography states that he was appointed to the position Thursday. 

A spokesperson from MDOC did not respond to a request for comment Friday morning, including whether McDonald is still employed with the department. 

But a memo from Commissioner Burl Cain to employees noted McDonald was no longer employed with the department and announced Garner’s appointment, Darkhorse Press reported. 

“Please help us welcome (Garner) into his new position and give him your full support,” the memo reads. 

Through the administration and finance division, McDonald oversaw department budgeting, a fiscal comptroller, procurement, property, human resources and agricultural enterprises, according to his biography that was on MDOC’s website. 

McDonald previously worked for the state auditor’s office since 2004, and before that was chief fiscal officer for the Mississippi Department of Employment Security and a staff accountant for the Mississippi Department of Health, according to his biography. 

Derrick Garner is th eas deputy commissioner of administration and finance.. Credit: Courtesy of MDOC

Garner, the new deputy commissioner for administration and finance, has worked for MDOC since July 2020 and previously served as chief fiscal officer and focused on budget operations, according to his biography. 

“This is a unique organization and I wanted to help to make a positive impact for the state,” Garner said about his decision to join the MDOC, which is included in his biography. “It was a great challenge and opportunity to be a part of this team.” 

He also worked for the state auditor’s office and before that for the Mississippi Gaming Commission, according to his biography. 

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Mina, a California native, covers the criminal justice system and legal issues. She was chosen as a fellow in the inaugural class of the Widening the Pipeline Fellowship through the National Press Foundation and the Law and Justice Journalism Project fellowship. Before joining Mississippi Today, she was a reporter for the Clarion Ledger and newspapers in Massachusetts. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and USA Today.