Man Dies in Starr, County Texas Jail

The Starr County, Texas Sheriff’s Department recently filed a report of a custodial death with the Texas State Attorney General. Texas law requires that custodial deaths be reported in such a manner. The report provided information about the death of Marco Antonio Munoz. Mr. Munoz was 39 years of age at the time of his death.

Mr. Munoz was delivered to the Starr County Jail for an overnight stay for illegal entry into the United States. He was apparently combative and non-compliant. As a result, detention officers placed him into a padded cell. However, apparently, they did not use suicide prevention clothing. Mr. Munoz was allegedly checked periodically. However, at some point, officers determined that Mr. Munoz had committed suicide. He had apparently taken off his sweater and used his sleeves to tie them around a steel grate on a floor used for a drain. He was then able to impede breathing and/or circulation through use of the sweater tied off to the grate. The Texas Rangers, who are part of the Texas Department of Public Safety, are investigating the custodial death. We make no allegation of any wrongdoing in this post but are instead simply providing information.

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