A federal inmate previously housed at the El Paso County Detention Facility was taken from the downtown jail to a local hospital and later pronounced dead on Sunday, Jan. 25, according to county officials. The in-custody death has set off both criminal and administrative investigations and is once again putting a spotlight on conditions inside the lockup.
Sheriff Oscar Ugarte’s office said the person was transported for medical treatment and died at about 9:08 p.m., as reported by KVIA. Because the individual was in federal custody, the sheriff’s release said federal privacy rules bar the office from releasing the person’s identity or detailed medical information. The sheriff’s office also confirmed that inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death are underway.
What officials say
In a written statement, Sheriff Ugarte said that “no additional identifying or medical information will be released.” The statement added that the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Texas Rangers, and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards are each conducting independent investigations, while the sheriff’s Internal Affairs Division will run a separate administrative review.
The release also noted that the office is reviewing its policies, technology, and medical and mental-health practices to see where improvements might be made, according to KVIA.
Local context and scrutiny
The death comes amid growing concern about in-custody fatalities at the downtown facility. Local reporting documented multiple deaths at the jail in 2025, and families have publicly pressed the sheriff’s office for answers.
El Paso Times coverage last year highlighted several in-custody deaths at the jail, while community watchdogs have tracked noncompliance notices and inspections tied to those fatalities. Hoodline also reported on the county’s interaction with state inspectors after a prior in-custody death.
What investigators will examine
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards sets minimum operating rules for county jails in the state and conducts regular inspections. Any custodial death triggers reporting and review procedures involving state authorities, and Texas Commission on Jail Standards inspectors and the Texas Rangers typically look at whether required face-to-face checks, medical responses, and training protocols were followed.
Advocacy groups and local monitors have long pushed for clearer public records and stronger oversight of how custodial deaths are reported in Texas, according to the Texas Jail Project.
County officials said they will release additional information as allowed by law once the investigations are complete. This story will be updated as agencies make their findings public.
