El Paso Sheriff’s Office news conference on murder in the El Paso County Jail Annex
UPDATE: In a news conference, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said the murder of a jail inmate was a planned attack where 6 inmates blocked the door of the sleeping area to prevent security from watching.
When asked why it took until the next morning for the detention officers to notice the victim had been murdered, El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles said they believed the inmate was sleeping. Something he says inmates tend to do throughout the day.
“They stay up at night or they sleep most of the 24 hours because, you know, they're in an environment that they're not really happy to be here. So a lot of them just sleep," said Sheriff Wiles.
Despite saying that cameras are not meant to replace guard observation, since officers do checks every 60 minutes, Sheriff Wiles said the cameras are meant to record for when incidents like this happen.
“The cameras record so that when an incident like this or any number of other things, assaults, assaults against officers, officers having to use force against inmates, we have a recording of it," said Sheriff Wiles.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The El Paso Sheriff’s Office will hold a news conference Tuesday, December 5, in regards to the in-custody murder investigation of 57-year-old Jesus Torres.
According to the affidavit obtained by ABC-7 of the incident that took place on Sunday, Nov. 26, the document says Torres was kicked, stomped on, beaten with a cane, stabbed in his eyes and grabbed by the neck.
The document also says the incident lasted around 45 minutes, but Torres was not found until the following morning.
Six inmates were arrested and charged in connection with the murder that took place inside the El Paso County Jail Annex.
Among those suspects charged with murder are 31-year-old Manuel Alejandro Vargas, 23-year-old George Lopez, 38-year-old Jesus Adrian Rocha, 29-year-old Jovani Dionicio Ramos, and 25-year-old Christian Carrillo. All 5 inmates were rebooked on $750,000 bonds.
18-year-old Juan Alberto Ortiz was the only suspect charged with capital murder and rebooked on a $1,000,000 bond.
