Died in prison
Billy Joel Polasek
Billy Joel Polasek, 42, died on April 5, 2025, while held at the Jim Ferguson Unit, a Texas state prison in Madison County. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice's custodial death report says he died by suicide, using a shoelace. According to the report, staff found him unresponsive.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice reported that he hanged himself with a shoelace.
Reported by: Texas Department of Criminal Justice (the agency that held him); Texas Office of the Attorney General custodial death report (outside investigators).