Valen Long Dies after Incarceration in Harris County Jail
Valen Lucas Long was booked into Harris County Jail on April 21, 2025. Tragically, Mr. Long died in the jail’s custody on June 1, 2025. He was only 26 years old. The custodial death report (CDR) filed by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, in the summary of how the death occurred, provides few details about what happened. In the early hours on June 1, inmates alerted jail staff that Mr. Long suffered a medical emergency on his bunk. Corrections officers and jail medical staff went to the multi-occupancy cell and began lifesaving measures. Mr. Long was then moved to the jail clinic.
The Houston Fire Department was called, and paramedics arrived. Lifesaving protocols continued, and Mr. Long was transported to LBJ Hospital. He was released to the hospital staff. A medical doctor pronounced Valen Long deceased at 1:48 a.m.
During the intake process at Harris County Jail, it was noted that Mr. Long exhibited medical problems. However, the CDR also shows that–in answer to whether the decedent received treatment for the medical condition that caused his death after admission to the jail’s jurisdiction–it says “Not Applicable.”
Somewhat obscurely, the information in the CDR includes a statement that Mr. Long—“Decedent”– caused his own death. In answer to the question of whether the decedent died of a pre-existing medical condition, the answer was, “not applicable; cause of death was accidental injury, intoxication, suicide, or homicide.” The cause of death in another place is shown as “pending autopsy.” These brief and unclear entries in the CDR do not suggest any type of conclusive statement that suicide occurred.
The address of the Harris County Jail facility where Mr. Long had been incarcerated is 701 N San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77002. The Harris County Jail system is comprised of several interconnected facilities that can house up to 10,000 inmates.
Suicide Continues to be the Leading Cause of Death in Local Jails
Jail suicides are common occurrences in cities across the U.S. Suicide is the leading cause of death in county and municipal jails. There are even more unsuccessful attempts at suicide, but there is usually no record kept of failed attempts. So, whether a particular jail has had a recent suicide death or not, the fact that attempts are more frequent events means jail personnel should be fully aware of the need to be on the alert. The following are reports of suicide deaths in county jails:
- On June 1, 2025, inmates at Marathon County Jail in Wausau, Wisconsin, alerted jail staff that a fellow inmate was unresponsive. Correctional staff immediately responded and discovered that a 26-year-old man was attempting suicide. Although lifesaving measures were immediately provided and he was transported to a local hospital, the young man died from his injuries at the hospital on June 8, 2025. The address of Marathon County Jail is 500 Forest St, Wausau, WI 54403. The jail’s bed capacity is 279.
- Two inmates at Coweta County Jail recently died of apparent suicide within three weeks of each other. In each case, the inmate was found with a bedsheet tied around his neck. Investigations into the May 2025 deaths are ongoing. The address of Coweta County Jail is 560 Greison Trail, Newnan, GA 30263. The inmate capacity at the jail is 512.
- Thirty-year-old Marlyn William Barnes was an inmate at Harford County Detention Center when, at about 2:48 p.m. on April 10, 2019, he was discovered hanging from a bedsheet around his neck in his cell. He was pronounced deceased about 45 minutes later. The preliminary investigation into his death found that Mr. Barnes had just returned from his bail review, where bail had been denied. The address of Harford County Detention Center is 1030 Rock Spring Rd, Bel Air, MD 21014. The jail can house up to 762 inmates.
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