Kevin Charles Ellison, 45, was booked into Morris County Jail in Daingerfield, Texas, at 11:38 p.m. on October 31, 2025. Sadly, Mr. Ellison was pronounced deceased in a jail holding cell fewer than 32 hours later. The Morris County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) filed a very detailed custodial death report (CDR) about Mr. Ellison on November 24, 2025.

Mr. Ellison made suicidal statements and appeared to be intoxicated on alcohol or drugs when he went through intake. Both of those conditions, per requirements for proper jail operations, should have prompted the jail to take the following measures:

• Employ appropriate suicide prevention measures to protect Mr. Ellison from potential acts of self-harm,
• Provide close supervision involving face-to-face observations every 30 minutes at most, and
• Contact medical staff to begin detox monitoring so that treatment could be provided for any harmful symptoms that may occur.

Mr. Ellison’s cause and means of death are currently unknown and pending the results of toxicology and histology reports.

While the rest of the CDR lacks insights into Mr. Ellison’s tragic death, the summary of how the death occurred was written in such a way that it is uncommonly lengthy at 2,895 words in about 3.5 single-spaced pages. It is the detailed account of what the sheriff heard, witnessed, and was told on the night Mr. Ellison died.

The jailers who had contact with Mr. Ellison were interviewed, as well as the judge who arraigned him. The events of the night unfolded in the report through various accounts in a jagged timeline. The following, though lengthy, is a shortened, more logically arranged synopsis of information in the CDR’s summary of events.

A Summary of How the Death of Kevin Ellison Occurred

On November 2, 2025, at approximately 6:40 a.m., a sergeant with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office heard dispatch ask a deputy to call them. At approximately 6:46 a.m., the deputy called the sheriff by phone and advised that they had an inmate in the jail who was deceased. The deputy informed the sheriff that the deceased was Kevin Ellison.

Mr. Ellison was located in cell #136, which is at the front of the jail in the booking area. It is a single-occupancy cell, meaning that no other inmates were inside. A jailer administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to Mr. Ellison because Emergency Medical Services (EMS) dispatchers advised him to do so. When EMS arrived, they took over care and advised that they could not find a heartbeat. An EKG strip was printed out, indicating no activity.

The scene was described in great detail, including evidence that Mr. Ellison had not eaten the last two meals that were brought to his cell in to-go containers.

A Justice of the Peace said that she had arraigned Mr. Ellison on November 1 and that his hands had been shaking and he appeared to be going through withdrawal symptoms.

She also indicated that Mr. Ellison would be sent to Dallas for an autopsy.

A jailer said that Kevin, not being released into the general population, was routinely checked approximately every 20 minutes.

Medication began being administered to inmates at 6:00 a.m. A trustee had informed a jailer, during the medication round, that Mr. Ellison did not appear to be breathing. The jailer checked on Mr. Ellison and found him rigid and cold to the touch. That was when CPR began, to no avail.

The sheriff learned that Mr. Ellison had arrived at the jail with one medication, Fluoxetine (an antidepressant).

The sheriff notified family members about Mr. Ellison’s passing. In the course of those events, he was told that Mr. Ellison was an alcoholic and that he had a history of former drug use.

A jailer said that Mr. Ellison was very intoxicated and was shaking when he arrived at the jail. In addition, the jailer said that Mr. Ellison also said that he drinks daily and had been thinking about suicide by cutting himself

Another jailer said that Mr. Ellison’s clothes were changed so that he had been wearing a “turtle suit” or tear-resistant anti-suicide garment when he was placed in the detox cell, where he was later found unresponsive.

Observation logs were checked, and a jailer had noted that Mr. Ellison was sleeping most of the time. At one point, the female jailer said Mr. Ellison knocked on the window of the cell and asked her where he was, and she informed him, “Morris County Jail.” At that time, Mr. Ellison requested water and his medication. He was provided with those items, at which time she asked him if he wanted to harm himself. He stated no and that he was just drunk. The jailer re-evaluated Mr. Ellison and allowed him to change out of the anti-suicide clothing and into the orange uniform. She saw that he was shaking,

The previously mentioned jailer further stated that when he checked Mr. Ellison’s cell, he did not conduct any face-to-face checks. He said he could get a clear view of him as he was walking by. He saw no signs of distress that would indicate something was wrong with Mr. Ellison. The jailer observed that Mr. Ellison moved slightly in his sleep, but he did not note the exact times because it didn’t occur to him that there was anything out of the ordinary.

Two more inmates were ultimately processed through intake and were placed in the holding area. The jailer routinely observed Mr. Ellison and the other two detainees. At about the time the jailer began moving another inmate to the general population, a trustee dropped off breakfast trays in the holding area. At this time, the trustee advised the jailer that Mr. Ellison did not appear to be breathing.

The video of the events in the booking area during the incident leading to Mr. Ellison’s death was obtained.

The sheriff instructed a deputy to contact a particular Texas Ranger to conduct the investigation into the November 2, 2025, death of Kevin Ellison, which was pronounced at 7:12 a.m.

Morris County Jail is at 502 Union Street, Daingerfield, Texas 75638. The jail has a 48-bed capacity.

Looking for Legal Support After Possible Jail Negligence or Abuse?

Being jailed—whether in a county or municipal facility—does not erase a person’s constitutional rights. When someone in custody is denied necessary medical attention, subjected to unsafe conditions, or harmed because jail staff failed in their duties, those actions may constitute serious violations that demand accountability.

If your family member died while incarcerated and you believe inadequate medical care, neglect, or misconduct contributed to their passing, the Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C. may be able to assist. Our firm concentrates on wrongful deaths in custody, including cases involving preventable suicide, delays in medical treatment, and systemic failures inside Texas jails. We work to uncover what happened, protect your loved one’s rights, and pursue justice on behalf of your family.

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