Jesus Torres
Jesus Torres, 57, was a veteran who served six years of active duty in the United States Army, according to his family, who described him as a good man trying to do better for his children. He died in late November 2023 in a housing unit at the El Paso County Jail Annex, where he was held, after the sheriff's office said six people held in the same cellblock attacked him. Investigators with the sheriff's Major Crime Unit and the Texas Rangers determined his death was a homicide, and a jail review and a state commission found that required face-to-face checks were not completed as policy and state rules required. The family's federal wrongful death lawsuit against the county alleges that jail staff failed to protect him and to conduct proper checks, and that he was not found for about 12 hours; a judge allowed the case to proceed in December 2025. Some of the people involved have pleaded guilty, and other cases remain pending.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (neglect alleged). The sheriff's office says six fellow detainees assaulted him and the death was ruled a homicide, while his family's lawsuit says staff failed to protect him and to conduct required inmate checks, and an internal jail review and Texas Commission on Jail Standards found required checks were not completed.
Reported by: El Paso County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Texas Commission on Jail Standards (outside investigators); his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); El Paso County District Attorney's Office; Texas Rangers (outside investigators).
Lawsuit: His family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against El Paso County over his death, and a judge allowed the case to proceed in December 2025 with no amount reported.
News reports (12)
- 6 inmates accused of killing fellow inmate at Texas jail
- 6 inmates accused of killing fellow inmate at El Paso County Jail Annex
- Details surrounding Monday's El Paso County Jail Annex murder emerge
- 6 inmates murder fellow prisoner at Texas jail, officials concerned over potential retaliation: sheriff
- Sheriff: Murder at El Paso County Jail Annex was 'pre-planned attack'
- El Paso County sheriff candidates respond to jail annex murder
- Custodial death report 23-1685-CJ
- State issues El Paso County jails non-compliance notices after deaths behind bars
- El Paso County Jail issued non-compliance notice on inmate checks after inmate death
- El Paso man sentenced to 10 years for acting as 'lookout' during jailhouse murder
- Judge allows lawsuit over El Paso County jail death to proceed, denying dismissal request
- Man sentenced to 15 years for role in El Paso jailhouse murder of fellow inmate