The Matagorda County Sheriff’s Department in Bay City, Texas, filed a custodial death report (CDR) about 23-year-old Reyes Vargas on August 31, 2023. Mr. Davis died on August 26, 2022, two days after going through intake. The summary of how the death occurred indicates that Mr. Vargas was found hanging by his bed sheet in his cell at about 4:00 p.m. on the day of his death.

A Detainee in Matagorda County Jail Dies of an Overdose

After an autopsy was done, it was determined that Markis Levar Sims’ manner of death was alcohol/drug intoxication, and the medical cause of death was an overdose. The notes in the summary of how the August 6, 2022, death occurred do not mention that Narcan was used.

Narcan is currently kept on hand in patrol units and jails throughout Texas. The life of anyone overdosing on opioids could possibly be saved if Narcan is administered soon enough and with enough applications, as it often requires more than one dose of Narcan to revive someone.

Matagorda County Jail is Cited for Noncompliance

In September 2022, inspectors with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) conducted a special jail inspection of the Matagorda County Jail in Bay City, Texas. Presumably, the inspection was a follow-up of the custodial death of Markis Levar Sims.

Learn more in Part 1 and 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