Jonathan Cisneros
Jonathan Cisneros, 37, of Silver City, was diagnosed with leukemia as a boy and went through years of chemotherapy, and he excelled at sports until his bones were judged too weak to keep running track. His childhood friend Elaine Courtney spoke with him often, and his mother, Tina Tow, described him as a son who did not want to worry her. He was found hanging in his cell at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas, was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital, and died on June 15, 2021, after his family agreed to remove him from life support. His mother and a childhood friend say he had been having seizures he could not get specialist care for and had been suicidal, while the Corrections Department says he was not on suicide watch and that his death is under investigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The Corrections Department says he was not on suicide watch and his death is under investigation, while his mother and a childhood friend say he had been suicidal and could not get specialist care for seizures.
Reported by: Corrections Department (the agency that held him); his mother and a childhood friend.