El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office

The El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office is responsible for investigating deaths within its jurisdiction, including those occurring in federal facilities like ICE detention centers. The office is currently newsworthy due to its involvement in investigating the deaths of immigrants held in ICE custody in El Paso, Texas. Specifically, the office conducted an autopsy on Geraldo Lunas Campos, a Cuban immigrant who died in an ICE detention facility on January 3, 2026. The autopsy determined the cause of death to be homicide due to asphyxia. This finding contradicts initial reports from ICE suggesting Lunas Campos died during a suicide attempt. The office's findings are significant as they raise questions about the circumstances surrounding Lunas Campos' death and the treatment of detainees within ICE facilities. The office is also likely involved in the investigation of another immigrant death at a Texas detention facility, initially reported by ICE as a suicide.