Manuel Silva, Jr.
Manuel Silva, Jr., 23, was held at the Roosevelt County Detention Center in Portales, New Mexico, and was placed in a single-occupancy cell after being booked on June 12, 2019. The Roosevelt County Sheriff's Office's initial report says staff found him with a blanket around his neck and that he hanged himself, and he was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m. His mother, Myra Abeyta, said her son would never take his own life, and she and his step-father said they were seeking justice. The sheriff said a final report would await the autopsy.
Cause of death, as reported: Cause not yet determined (disputed). The Roosevelt County Sheriff's Office's initial report says he hanged himself, but his mother says he would never take his own life, and the manner of death is pending the autopsy.
Reported by: Roosevelt County Sheriff's Office and jail administrator's in-custody death report (the agency that held him); his mother.