Texas Rangers Investigate Galveston County Jail Inmate's Death; autopsy rules death natural causes A Texas City man jailed on felony drug possession charges died in the Galveston County Jail last week, officials confirmed. Fernando Torres, 52, was arrested by La Marque police on May 13 for third-degree felony possession of less than a gram of fentanyl. Torres was booked into county jail on May 14 and died on May 24 from natural causes related to diabetes, according to an autopsy by the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office. As per procedure, the Texas Rangers were called to investigate the death. That investigation is ongoing, said Sgt. Stephen Woodard of the Texas Department of Public Safety. When complete, that investigation will be turned over to the Galveston County District Attorney and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Records indicate that Torres had been released from county jail in March after serving time for criminal mischief, having reached a plea deal amid charges of stealing his mother’s car and using her credit/debit cards without her permission. The death marks the first in-custody death at the jail since Sheriff Jimmy Fullen took office on January 1. In 2024, four Galveston County Jail inmates died while in custody. While Texas Rangers investigations for most of those cases are still ongoing, medical examiners determined two were health-related, including one incident involving a woman who got into a tussle with corrections deputies. Another death was ruled a suicide. The fourth, which occurred in September, is still under investigation after deputies used a Taser to subdue Saul Vargas during an altercation. Vargas had been in jail for 8 days on burglary charges. The Texas Rangers and Galveston County DA are also investigating two 2024 Texas City Police Department in-custody deaths. One case involves the death of Rego Ornelas, 45, who died in late October after being arrested and reportedly suffering a medical issue upon arrival at the Galveston County Jail. Derrick Dewayne Glenn, 47, died December 10 at HCA Mainland Medical Center after police reported he swallowed a bag containing drugs when they stopped on Oak Street in West Texas City.

Posted by i45NOW TJ Aulds at 2025-06-02 19:37:07 UTC