Cuban immigrant's death at ICE facility ruled a homicide, autopsy report says
A Cuban immigrant's death at a Texas immigration detention facility has been ruled a homicide, according to an autopsy report from El Paso County.
Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, died in ICE custody on Jan. 3 at Camp East Montana, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
In the autopsy report, Adam Gonzalez, the deputy medical examiner for El Paso County, determined that Campos died from "asphyxia due to neck and torso compression."
Attorneys for the Campos family filed an emergency petition on Tuesday to prevent alleged witnesses to the death from being deported. The petition, which was granted by a federal judge, cites reports alleging that guards at the facility choked and asphyxiated Campos.
"The two witnesses appear to have unique knowledge and independent eyewitness testimony of the events at issue," the petition states. The family's attorneys told ABC News they intend to obtain formal testimony from both individuals.
In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said Campos was pronounced dead after "experiencing medical distress."
"Lunas became disruptive while in line for medication and refused to return to his assigned dorm," the statement said. "He was subsequently placed in segregation. While in segregation, staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance."
Campos is the third detainee to die at East Camp Montana, an ICE tent facility that opened last year.
According to DHS, Campos was detained in July during an immigration enforcement action in New York. He had prior convictions including sexual contact with a minor and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the DHS and court records.
