A disturbing pattern of in-custody deaths at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center has sparked renewed concerns about conditions within one of Texas’ most troubled correctional facilities. So far, 13 inmates have died at the facility in 2024 alone, highlighting ongoing issues at the San Antonio-based jail.
Among the grieving families is Lydia Leos, whose son, Julian Dena died four years ago while in custody. The 34-year-old, who had struggled with addiction and homelessness, suffered a fatal heart attack after allegedly ingesting drugs while being processed at the facility, “For him to ingest them inside while he was getting magistrated means there was a failure to properly search him three times,” Leos said.
“It was a situation that he brought onto himself; I make sure everyone knows that,” said Lydia Leos. “But it’s a human being that passed away, just like if he passed away in a car accident. I want the community to show compassion and I want the jail to show compassion.”
The Bexar County Adult Detention Center opened in 1976 with a capacity of 4,563 beds. It has been identified as one of Texas’s worst county jails due to overcrowding, poor hygiene and high death rates among inmates. Working conditions at the facility have been severely criticized, with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Bexar County comparing it to a “sweatshop” and describing conditions as “inhumane and an embarrassment.”
The facility’s troubles have continued into 2024, with several high-profile incidents including the suicide of 19-year-old Jesus Gonzales during booking and the latest casualty, 46-year-old Marcus Joseph Fontenette who he was found unresponsive in a booking cell at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center late last Tuesday night. These incidents follow a pattern of crisis at the facility, which saw multiple deaths in 2023 leading to the resignation of Deputy Chief Jaime Rios.
“Our jail is not running the way it’s supposed to be running,” Leos states. “If you have a medical ward, RNs and guards, how is it that all these inmates are dying?”
Former Sheriff Javier Salazar acknowledged systemic issues, particularly regarding the incarceration of individuals with mental health challenges. In one notable case, he admitted that Ed Penix, a homeless man with mental health issues who died in custody, “should not have been in jail.”
“It is the worst managed jail in Texas,” said Ron DeLord, the association’s chief collective bargaining negotiator. “A chicken plucking plant in Mississippi has better working conditions and better protection than a Bexar County deputy.”
The situation raises serious questions about criminal justice, mental health care and human rights in one of Texas’s largest county jail systems. Sheriff Salazar has unsuccessfully attempted to solve the county’s understaffing and overcrowding problems through incentive programs, leading to tens of millions of dollars in overtime costs to taxpayers.
“The jail should not be the judge, the jury and the executioner,” Leos emphasizes, calling for greater compassion and accountability in the treatment of inmates, regardless of their circumstances. Her words echo growing demands for reform in a system that many say is failing its most vulnerable occupants.
Residents of San Antonio deserve competent and capable law enforcement, something clearly lacking today. To see real change, every voice must be heard. If you or someone you know has experienced similar treatment by law enforcement, a complaint can be filed and investigated by emailing the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs at [email protected] or calling (210) 335-6720.
