Died in custody
Raul Mata
Raul Mata, 46, of Watsonville, worked as a nurse for about 15 years, including in the emergency room at Watsonville Community Hospital, and was a longtime Central Coast resident. His wife described him as an incredible person. He died on October 15, 2020, while in custody and hospitalized. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said he died from a self-inflicted injury, and his wife has said he never gave her reason to doubt his character.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office says Mata died from a self-inflicted injury while hospitalized.
Reported by: Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him). The only account of how this person died comes from the agency that held him.