Detainee Jessie Villarreal Dies in Gonzales County, Texas Jail

Jessie Villarreal, 54, was booked into Gonzalez County, Texas Jail on July 13, 2025. Mr. Villarreal died in the jail’s custody on July 30, 2025. The Gonzalez County Sheriff’s Office filed a custodial death report (CDR) about him on September 8, 2025. It shows Mr. Villarreal’s cause of death is unknown, and autopsy results are pending from the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The CDR reveals that Mr. Villarreal received medical treatment during his incarceration, and a pre-existing medical condition is believed to be the cause of his death. The summary of how the death occurred provides a detailed account of what a Sergeant Investigator did once he was notified of Mr. Villarreal’s death.

The portion of the summary that pertains specifically to Mr. Villarreal is shared by several people who are interviewed. They generally provide the same information, and the following are those details:

Mr. Villarreal was housed in segregation cell 15 within the Gonzalez County Jail.
Somewhere between 9:20 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on July 30, an officer was performing a med pass on the jail block. He responded to cell 15 to pass out medication to Inmate Villarreal. He stated that upon opening the door, he observed that Mr. Villarreal was not awake.
The officer called out but got no response from Mr. Villarreal. So, in an attempt to wake him up, he began shaking Mr. Villarreal. The officer noticed that the inmate was cold to the touch.
The officer called for assistance, and a sergeant came to the cell to assist him in lifesaving measures.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed, and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel took over when they arrived.
Jessie Villarreal was pronounced deceased at 12:58 p.m. on July 30, 2025. The pronouncement was made by a judge over the phone.

The address of Gonzales County Jail is 1713 E Sarah DeWitt Dr, Gonzales, TX 78629. The total bed capacity of the jail is approximately 120.

A Look at 2024 Bexar County Jail Deaths

An investigative news team released a report containing details on the 13 inmate deaths that occurred in San Antonio’s Bexar County Jail in Texas. They provide a good representation of the types of death that commonly occur. Withdrawal deaths and suicides are two types of death that are often considered to have been preventable. A death by “natural causes” is also allegedly preventable when the death involves sepsis or diabetic ketoacidosis. The following are some of the inmate deaths that occurred in the Bexar County Jail in 2024:

A 19-year-old man died by suicide on April 18 in the Bexar County Jail after an officer failed to give him a thorough pat-down. The young man used the gun in his pocket to commit suicide as soon as he was left alone.
Francisco Salinas was 41 years old when he died on April 16. It is believed that withdrawal symptoms worsened a medical episode he suffered.
On September 6, 50-year-old Paul Anthony Sarabia died from a medical episode that stemmed from withdrawal symptoms.

Need Legal Guidance in Jail Neglect Cases?

Studies reveal that close to 70% of individuals in local jails across the U.S. with ongoing health conditions fail to receive the medical treatment they require—a troubling reality. If you’ve lost a loved one because of medical neglect or other failures in jail care, the Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., is here to help. Our legal team has years of experience handling wrongful death cases in custody, including those involving preventable suicides.

Call, text, or use our secure online form 24/7 to arrange for a free consultation today.

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