Autopsy rules immigrant's death in ICE custody a homicide

An autopsy has ruled the January 3 death of Geraldo Lunas Campos a homicide, according to the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office. The 55-year-old Cuban immigrant, held in solitary confinement at Camp East Montana near El Paso, died from asphyxia caused by neck and torso compression during an altercation with guards.

A witness told The Associated Press that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down, with one guard applying pressure around his neck until he lost consciousness. The medical examiner’s report documented abrasions on his chest and knees, hemorrhages on his neck, and petechial hemorrhages in his eyelids — tiny blood spots consistent with asphyxia from pressure on the body.

The death marks the third reported at Camp East Montana in little more than a month, spotlighting safety conditions at the immigration detention facility, which operates under a $1.2 billion federal contract and is expected to become the nation’s largest such facility.

Medical Examiner’s Findings

Dr. Adam Gonzalez, the deputy medical examiner, determined that Lunas Campos died from asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The autopsy report documented multiple injuries consistent with physical restraint: abrasions on his chest and knees, hemorrhages on his neck, and petechial hemorrhages — tiny blood spots from burst capillaries — in his eyelids and neck skin. These injuries are often associated with intense pressure on the body.

Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy report for the AP, said the presence of petechiae in the eyes supports the conclusion that asphyxia caused the death. The neck injuries were consistent with a hand or knee applied to the neck, he said.

The autopsy found that Lunas Campos had been taking prescription antidepressants and antihistamines, and noted a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety. It made no mention of him attempting suicide.

Government’s Shifting Account

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement initially provided a different account of the January 3 incident. In a January 9 statement, the agency said Lunas Campos had become disruptive and was moved to a cellblock where detainees are held in segregation.

“While in segregation, staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance,” ICE said. “Medical staff responded, initiated lifesaving measures, and requested emergency medical services.”

After Lunas Campos’s family was informed the autopsy would rule the death a homicide, the Department of Homeland Security provided a revised account. Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Lunas Campos had attempted suicide and that guards tried to help him.

“Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life,” McLaughlin said. “During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness.”

This characterization contradicted the medical examiner’s findings. The autopsy report made no mention of a suicide attempt.

After the final autopsy report was released, McLaughlin issued another statement emphasizing that Lunas Campos was “a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator.”

Prior Criminal Convictions

According to New York court records, Lunas Campos was convicted in 2003 of sexual contact with a person under 11, a felony for which he was sentenced to one year in jail and placed on the state’s sex offender registry. He was also convicted in 2009 of attempting to sell a controlled substance, sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervision. He completed that sentence in January 2017.

Lunas Campos was legally admitted to the United States in 1996 as part of a wave of Cuban immigrants seeking to reach Florida by boat. He was living in Rochester, New York, where he had resided for more than two decades, when ICE arrested him in July as part of a planned immigration enforcement operation related to his prior convictions.

Pattern of Deaths at the Facility

The death of Lunas Campos marks the third reported at Camp East Montana in little more than a month. ICE announced on December 3 that Francisco Gaspar-Andres, a 48-year-old immigrant from Guatemala, died after being transferred to an El Paso hospital for care. The agency indicated he died of suspected liver and kidney failure, though the final autopsy was still pending.

On January 14, ICE announced that Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old immigrant from Nicaragua, died at Camp East Montana. The agency described the death as a “presumed suicide.” Diaz had been detained by ICE during the recent immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Unlike with Lunas Campos, Diaz’s body was not sent to the county medical examiner in El Paso. The Department of Homeland Security said the autopsy for Diaz is being performed at the Army medical center at Fort Bliss, where the detention facility is located. DHS did not respond to questions about whether any agency other than ICE will investigate the death.

The Detention Facility

Camp East Montana operates under a $1.2 billion federal contract and is expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention facility. The facility sits on the grounds of Fort Bliss, a military base near El Paso.

The Associated Press reported in August that the contract was awarded to Acquisition Logistics LLC, a private contractor headquartered in a single-family home in Richmond, Virginia. The company had no prior experience running a corrections facility and has subcontracted with other companies to help operate the camp.

It was not immediately clear whether the guards present when Lunas Campos died were government employees or those of a private contractor.

A homicide determination by the medical examiner would typically be critical in determining whether any guards face criminal or civil liability. The fact that the death occurred on an Army base may limit the legal jurisdiction of state and local officials to investigate.

Congressional Response

Representative Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons to brief Congress about the recent deaths at the facility.

“DHS must preserve all evidence — including halting their effort to deport the witnesses,” Escobar said. “I reiterate my call for Camp East Montana to be shut down and for the contract with the corporation running it to be terminated.”