In the summary of how 39-year-old Johnny Gutierrez died while he was an inmate in Cameron County Jail, the custodial death report (CDR) indicates that Mr. Gutierrez was in a single-occupancy cell. He used a mattress cover to hang himself in the Brownsville, Texas, jail. He was transported to the Valley Baptist Medical Center Brownsville, where he was pronounced deceased at about 2:02 PM on January 27, 2023.

A Deceased Inmate Isn’t Noticed for Over 18 Hours Continued

The family claims that their loved one had confessed to having suicidal ideations. Jailers housed the man alone in the basement of a former courthouse built in 1901. Upon his arrival at the jail, he broke several bones in his hand after punching a wall. Jail records also indicate that he voiced having suicidal ideations. However, a patrol officer said that he made that same threat each time he was arrested. Subsequently, he was housed with the general population.

After getting into an altercation, however, the inmate was moved to the squalid solitary confinement cell where he died.

In addressing the length of time the inmate had been deceased before he was discovered, a spokesperson said that a single computer screen is used to monitor 20 jail cameras. No face-to-face contact between inmates and dispatchers is allowed other than passing meals through slots in the cell doors. One of the four county sheriff’s deputies must be called for if a cell door must be opened.

Also, learn more in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this ongoing series.

Providing helpful resources for Texas inmates detained in county and municipal jails is the purpose of this website. Making accusations against persons or institutions is never intended.

–Guest Contributor