Reyes Vargas was booked into Matagorda County Jail in Bay City, Texas, on August 24, 2023. He was pronounced deceased before another 48 hours had passed. An officer found him hanging from a sheet in his single cell at about 4:00 p.m. on August 26, 2023. His time of death was 4:56 p.m. Mr. Vargas was 23 years old. He died less than a month before his 24^th birthday.

A Detainee at Matagorda County Jail Commits Suicide

A 27-year-old man was detained at Matagorda County Jail in February 2013. He died of suicide 8 days after being booked in the jail at 2323 Avenue E, Matagorda County, in Bay City, Texas. The following are details from the summary of how the death occurred. The name “Smith” is not the actual name of the detainee who died:

On the morning of his death, Detainee Smith was interviewed by a member of the parole board. He was returned to his cell without incident. At 3:31 p.m. an officer made a face-to-face check of Smith. At 4:08 p.m. an officer began servicing the evening meal. He began with Q-1, but when he looked into the cell, he only saw the feet of Smith. It looked as though he was sitting down on the shower seat.

The officer continued service for the rest of the cell blocks. When she returned down the run, she saw that Smith had not taken his tray. When the officer opened the viewing port, she could see that Smith was hanging by the neck with a thorn sheet draped over the shower curtain rod. The officer called for assistance. Smith was pronounced deceased after being transported by ambulance to Matagorda Regional Hospital.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of 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