Twenty-three-year-old Reyes Vargas entered Matagorda County Jail in Bay City, Texas, on August 24, 2023. He died on August 26, 2023, after being found hanging by his bed sheet. The custodial death report (CDR) indicates that no suicidal statements were made during intake, nor did he exhibit mental health problems. Matagorda County Jail is at 2323 Ave 3 in Bay City, TX 77414. The jail has a capacity of 86 detainees.

A Detainee in Matagorda County Jail Dies of an Overdose

Markis Levar Sims was detained in Matagorda County Jail and went through intake at 10:15 PM on August 5, 2022. He was placed in a detoxification cell, but hours later, at 2:56 AM on August 6, 2022, he was pronounced deceased. An amended version of the custodial death report (CDR) reveals that his manner of death was alcohol or drug intoxication, and the medical cause of death was an overdose. More details follow.

Mr. Sims was alone in the detox cell where he was placed. It was at 12:16 AM that a jailer checked on Mr. Sims and noticed that he appeared to be in some type of distress. Emergency medical services were called, and first responders transported Mr. Sims by ambulance to Matagorda Regional Hospital for treatment. Later, during treatment, Mr. Sims went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived.

Learn more in this ongoing series.

One goal of this website is to provide county and municipal jail detainees in Texas with information that could be of benefit to them. There is never an intention on this site to make implications against institutions or individuals.

–Guest Contributor