Kongchi Justin Thao
Kongchi Justin Thao died by suicide in a shower cell at the Grady County Jail in Chickasha, Oklahoma, on November 16, 2017, after being held there overnight with other federal prisoners awaiting transfer. According to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit's summary of events, he hanged himself with a bath towel tied to the cell door handle. The estate's lawsuit says he repeatedly told officers he wanted to die over about 50 minutes, and that the only recorded sight check came shortly before he was found hanging. The Tenth Circuit sent the failure-to-train claim back to district court on November 26, 2025, and dismissed the excessive force claim.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (neglect alleged). The Tenth Circuit's summary of events says he hanged himself with a bath towel from the cell door handle, and his estate's suit says staff did not check on him as required and failed to train officers on suicide risk.
Reported by: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (court); his estate's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His estate sued over his death, and in November 2025 the Tenth Circuit sent the failure-to-train claim back to district court while dismissing the excessive force claim.