Homicide Ruled in Death of Cuban Detainee at El Paso ICE Facility
An autopsy conducted by the El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the January 3 death of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban detainee, a homicide. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. Mr. Lunas Campos died at the Camp East Montana immigration detention facility in El Paso, Texas, amidst differing accounts from federal authorities and witnesses regarding the circumstances of his death.
Autopsy Findings and Cause of Death
The El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office released an autopsy report on Wednesday, classifying Geraldo Lunas Campos' death as a homicide. Dr. Adam Gonzalez, the deputy medical examiner, concluded that Mr. Lunas Campos died from asphyxia resulting from compression to his neck and torso.
The report detailed physical signs consistent with a struggle, including abrasions on his chest and knees, and hemorrhages on his neck.
Additionally, petechial hemorrhages were identified in his eyelids and neck skin, which a reviewing forensic pathologist, Dr. Victor Weedn, stated support the conclusion of asphyxia. The medical examiner's office had previously communicated to Mr. Lunas Campos' family that it was preparing to classify the death as a homicide.
Incident Details and Conflicting Accounts
Mr. Lunas Campos died on January 3 while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Camp East Montana.
Official Statements:- ICE initially stated that Mr. Lunas Campos died after "experiencing medical distress" and that staff had provided emergency treatment. They reported he had become "disruptive while in line for medication," was moved to segregation, and then observed in distress.
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later revised its account, stating that Mr. Lunas Campos had attempted suicide and "violently resisted" security staff who were attempting to intervene. DHS claimed that during this struggle, he stopped breathing and lost consciousness.
- Following the autopsy ruling, a DHS spokesperson emphasized Mr. Lunas Campos' criminal history.
- Santos Jesus Flores, a fellow detainee at Camp East Montana, provided an account of the incident. Mr. Flores stated he observed at least five guards restraining Mr. Lunas Campos, who was handcuffed and reportedly resisted due to not having his medications.
Mr. Flores reported hearing Mr. Lunas Campos repeatedly state in Spanish, "I cannot breathe," shortly before he lost consciousness and stopped moving. He described one guard placing an arm around Mr. Lunas Campos' neck and applying pressure during the restraint.
- Attorneys representing Mr. Lunas Campos' family filed an emergency petition to prevent the deportation of two alleged witnesses, a petition that was granted by a federal judge. The attorneys have stated their intention to obtain formal testimony from these individuals.
Background of Geraldo Lunas Campos
Geraldo Lunas Campos was a 55-year-old Cuban national and a father of four. Medical records indicated he had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety, and prescription medications were found in his system.
According to federal authorities, Mr. Lunas Campos had a criminal history, which included convictions in 2003 and 2009 for offenses such as child sexual abuse/contact with a minor, criminal possession of a weapon, and attempting to sell a controlled substance. DHS identified him as a "criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator." However, his adult daughter disputes the child sexual abuse accusation, attributing it to a custody dispute.
Mr. Lunas Campos was legally admitted to the U.S. in 1996 and had resided in Rochester, New York, for nearly two decades. He was arrested by immigration officers in July 2023 during an immigration enforcement operation and had been detained at the El Paso camp since September 6. An immigration judge had issued a deportation order for him in March 2005, but his removal was not executed because travel documents could not be obtained.
Facility Information: Camp East Montana
Camp East Montana is a tent facility situated on the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas. It was constructed in the summer of 2023 and operates as the country's largest immigration detention center, with a capacity for 5,000 individuals.
The facility's $1.2 billion contract was awarded to Acquisition Logistics LLC, a company that reportedly had no prior experience running a corrections facility. It remains unclear whether the guards involved in the incident were government employees or private contractors. Human rights organizations have reported criticisms of Camp East Montana regarding alleged abuse and inhumane conditions.
Broader Context of Deaths in ICE Custody
Mr. Lunas Campos' death is one of at least three reported at Camp East Montana within a period of just over a month, and one of at least five reported in ICE custody nationwide this year.
In 2023, 32 individuals died in ICE custody, marking the highest number of fatalities in two decades, with December being the deadliest month of that year.
Other deaths reported at Camp East Montana include:
- Francisco Gaspar-Andres: A 48-year-old Guatemalan man, died on December 3, 2023, from what ICE described as liver and kidney failure. An autopsy by the El Paso Medical Examiner is pending.
- Victor Manuel Diaz: A 36-year-old Nicaraguan man, was found unconscious in his room on January 14, 2024. ICE stated his death was a "presumed suicide," with the official cause pending investigation.
Responses and Investigations
Representative Veronica Escobar, whose district encompasses El Paso, has called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons to provide a briefing to Congress regarding the deaths. She also requested the preservation of all evidence related to the incidents and called for Camp East Montana to be shut down, with its operating contract terminated.
Jeanette Pagan-Lopez, the mother of two of Mr. Lunas Campos' children, stated she was informed of the homicide finding by the medical examiner. She reported difficulties in obtaining information from ICE and in arranging for the return of Mr. Lunas Campos' body without cremation.
The final determination of homicide is considered a critical factor for potential criminal or civil liability.