Medical Examiner Rules ICE Detainee's Death as Homicide Amid Contradictory Accounts from Agency.
Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban immigrant who had been in immigration detention for nearly two years, died under mysterious circumstances at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in El Paso, Texas. According to the final autopsy report obtained by NBC News on Thursday, the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck and torso compression, with the manner of death ruled as homicide.
Initially, ICE reported that Lunas Campos had experienced medical distress, but it later contradicted itself when a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated that the detainee had attempted to take his own life. However, an email sent by DHS claimed that Campos violently resisted security staff and continued trying to harm himself, resulting in him stopping breathing and losing consciousness.
The autopsy report reveals scattered superficial abrasions on Lunas Campos' body, hemorrhage in muscles and connective tissues on the neck, and signs of smaller hemorrhaging on the eyelids and skin of the neck. Furthermore, medical staff was reportedly called immediately after he became unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement.
Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety, as stated in the autopsy report. Eighty percent of current detainees at Camp East Montana, where Lunas Campos was being held, have no criminal background, according to ICE data.
As the investigation into this incident continues, concerns over the treatment of detained immigrants have been raised by advocates and experts. The medical examiner's conclusion that Lunas Campos' death was a homicide has sparked debate about the safety standards in detention facilities and the accountability of the agencies responsible for them.
The death of another detainee at Camp East Montana in December 2025 highlighted similar issues, sparking calls for reform and improved conditions in immigration detention centers.
Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban immigrant who had been in immigration detention for nearly two years, died under mysterious circumstances at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in El Paso, Texas. According to the final autopsy report obtained by NBC News on Thursday, the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck and torso compression, with the manner of death ruled as homicide.
Initially, ICE reported that Lunas Campos had experienced medical distress, but it later contradicted itself when a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated that the detainee had attempted to take his own life. However, an email sent by DHS claimed that Campos violently resisted security staff and continued trying to harm himself, resulting in him stopping breathing and losing consciousness.
The autopsy report reveals scattered superficial abrasions on Lunas Campos' body, hemorrhage in muscles and connective tissues on the neck, and signs of smaller hemorrhaging on the eyelids and skin of the neck. Furthermore, medical staff was reportedly called immediately after he became unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement.
Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety, as stated in the autopsy report. Eighty percent of current detainees at Camp East Montana, where Lunas Campos was being held, have no criminal background, according to ICE data.
As the investigation into this incident continues, concerns over the treatment of detained immigrants have been raised by advocates and experts. The medical examiner's conclusion that Lunas Campos' death was a homicide has sparked debate about the safety standards in detention facilities and the accountability of the agencies responsible for them.
The death of another detainee at Camp East Montana in December 2025 highlighted similar issues, sparking calls for reform and improved conditions in immigration detention centers.
ICE is like literally killin people left and right 
it's all about how they play with lives but no consequences. The autopsy says asphyxia due to compression, but the agency's story changes every 5 mins 
how can we trust anything they say? 
This guy had mental health issues and bipolar disorder, he didn't deserve to die in a place meant for rehabilitation not torture 
I'm so glad someone finally spoke out but what about the others who died or suffered? 
this is so disturbing... I cant believe they're ruling it a homicide despite all the conflicting accounts from ICE. 55 yrs old man was already dealing with bipolar disorder and anxiety, and now he's been subjected to all that trauma in a place not meant for people like him 
the medical examiner is right to point out that something went horribly wrong here. its time for serious change in those detention centers 
I just can't help but feel really sad when I read about Geraldo Lunas Campos' tragic death. It's like, he was already going through so much because of his health problems and being stuck in that facility for almost two years... 
this is soooo unfair!!! 
the medical examiner's conclusion is like, pretty obvious tho 
. What we dont need is more reforms & lawsuits 
. 80% of those detainees have no criminal background and they're still being treated with all this violence... its a huge red flag 
. we gotta make sure our facilities are safe for everyone, regardless of their past 
. it makes me wonder how many more people might have been harmed or lost their lives in similar circumstances