Texas Rangers investigating GC Jail death

The Texas Rangers are investigating the death of a Gonzales County jail inmate that occurred sometime between the evening of Tuesday, July 29 and the morning of Wednesday, July 30.

Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Deidra Voigt pronounced the male inmate dead Wednesday morning and ordered an autopsy be performed at the Travis County Medical Examiner’s office in Austin to determine cause of death and run any toxicology screenings, if necessary.

Identification of the individual was being withheld pending notification of his next of kin and completion of the investigation. Details are scant about the incident, though it did not appear that the death involved foul play or self-harm.

By state law, the Rangers must be called in to investigate any death which occurs while an individual is in custody, regardless of whether or not the death appears to be by natural causes.