The death of a detainee at a major US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility is expected to be officially classified as a homicide, following a medical examiner's conclusion that he died from asphyxia due to compression on his neck and chest.
Death in Custody Sparks Homicide Investigation
Gerald Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban national, died on January 3, 2026 at the Camp East Montana detention facility in Texas. In a brief initial statement, ICE said staff had 'observed him in distress' and called medical personnel, who were unable to save his life.
However, a report by The Washington Post reveals that the El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner has determined the preliminary cause of death as asphyxia due to neck and chest compression. In a recorded conversation with Campos's daughter, an employee from the examiner's office stated the doctor believes the manner of death will be listed as homicide, pending toxicology results.
Eyewitness Account: 'I Cannot Breathe'
The medical findings appear to support allegations made by a fellow detainee, Santos Jesus Flores. Flores claims he witnessed at least five guards struggling with Campos in a segregation unit on the day he died.
According to Flores, Campos had been complaining about not having access to his medication. Flores alleges he then saw guards 'choking' Campos, who repeatedly cried out 'No puedo respirar' – Spanish for 'I can't breathe.'
'He said, 'I cannot breathe, I cannot breathe.' After that, we don't hear his voice anymore and that's it,' Flores told The Post. Flores stated that medical staff later spent about an hour trying to resuscitate Campos before his body was removed.
Criminal Past and Facility Under Scrutiny
Campos, described by authorities as an illegal immigrant, was a convicted sex offender arrested in New York in July 2025. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson had previously detailed his criminal history, which included:
- First-degree sexual abuse involving a child under 11
- Aggravated assault with a weapon
- Criminal possession of a loaded firearm
- Criminal sale of a controlled substance
His death occurred at Camp East Montana, the largest ICE detention facility in the United States, housing up to 3,800 detainees. The facility near the Mexican border has faced previous scrutiny over claims of substandard conditions and guard abuse.
Campos is the second detainee to die at this facility and one of four nationwide ICE detainee deaths in 2026. This follows a year, 2025, which saw at least 30 deaths in immigration detention – the highest annual toll in two decades.
Broader Context of Immigration Crackdown
The incident occurs amid President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement push, which includes ramping up deportation efforts across the country. ICE tactics have faced intensified scrutiny in 2026, particularly after the death of American mother-of-three Renee Good in Minneapolis during ICE activities last week, which sparked nationwide protests.
Jeanette Pagan Lopez, the mother of Campos's two children, confirmed the FBI has contacted her and an investigation is underway. 'The people that physically harmed him should be held accountable,' she said. 'I know it's a homicide.'
An internal log from the detention facility referenced an 'immediate' use of force incident prior to Campos's death, though no further details were provided. ICE relies on private contractors to run facilities like Camp East Montana under multi-million dollar contracts.
