Lacy Cuccaro
Lacy Dawn Cuccaro, 28, of Gruver, was the wife of Jonathan Shepard and the mother of their two children. She died on July 19, 2012, while held at the Hansford County Jail in Spearman, Texas, and the death has been reported as a suicide by hanging. Her family's lawsuit says she was not treated as a suicide risk despite a history of suicide attempts and was left unmonitored while on suicide watch. The county settled for $345,000 without admitting liability, and the county's attorney has said some jail video was lost, while accounts differ over what the video shows and the timing of checks.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The family's federal lawsuit says jail staff did not treat Cuccaro as a suicide risk despite prior attempts and left her unmonitored on suicide watch, and the county settled for $345,000 without admitting liability; court records and video dispute the timeline of the jailer's checks, and the county's attorney says some video was lost.
Reported by: Hansford County Jail (the agency that held her); Texas Office of the Attorney General (outside investigators); Cuccaro's family and their attorney (family or their lawyers); federal court settlement records.
Lawsuit: Her family sued Hansford County over her 2012 death at the Hansford County jail and the county settled for $345,000 without admitting liability.