OSINT Dossier: Geraldo Lunas Campos - ICE Detention Homicide¶

Date of Research: February 5, 2026 (updated February 12, 2026)
Published by: Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Subject: Geraldo Lunas Campos - Killing in ICE custody at Camp East Montana
Confidence: HIGH
Classification: detention-death / homicide / restraint-asphyxiation

Executive Summary¶

On January 3, 2026, Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban immigrant who had lived in the United States since 1996, was killed by guards at Camp East Montana, the largest ICE detention facility in the country, located on Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The El Paso County Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide, determining the cause was asphyxia due to compression of the neck and torso during physical restraint. The autopsy found injuries to his neck, head, and torso consistent with restraint, including petechial hemorrhages -- tiny blood spots from burst capillaries -- in his eyelids and neck skin.

Multiple witnesses described the killing. Detainee Santos Jesus Flores told the Washington Post he witnessed at least five guards fighting with Campos after he refused to enter the segregation unit. Flores said he saw the guards choking Campos and heard him repeatedly crying out "no puedo respirar" -- "I can't breathe" -- in Spanish. Another witness corroborated to the Associated Press that Campos was handcuffed during the incident, and that at least one guard put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious.

ICE's account radically contradicts the evidence. The agency claimed Campos "was attempting suicide and the staff tried to save him." DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that "Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life" and that "during the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness." The medical examiner's autopsy report made no mention of a suicide attempt. A 911 call from Lt. Paul Walden, a private security guard at the facility, stated: "He tried to hang himself, and then we put him in cuffs, and he kept going" -- but the physical evidence and witness testimony point to death caused by the restraint itself, not by any preceding suicide attempt.

Campos was a father of four who arrived in the U.S. legally in 1996 as part of a wave of Cuban immigrants seeking to reach Florida by boat. He lived in Rochester, New York, for more than two decades before being arrested by ICE in July 2025 during a planned enforcement operation. He had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety and was taking prescription antidepressant and antihistamine medications. He had prior convictions -- a 2003 conviction for sexual contact with an individual under 11 (which his adult daughter says was a false accusation from a custody battle) and a 2009 conviction for attempting to sell a controlled substance. He had been ordered removed in 2005, but the government could not obtain travel documents from Cuba.

His death was the first in ICE custody in 2026 and occurred just four days before Renee Good was shot and killed by ICE Agent Ross in Minneapolis. It is one of three deaths at Camp East Montana in a 44-day span. The FBI has reportedly opened an investigation. A federal judge granted an emergency petition to block the deportation of witnesses to prevent the destruction of evidence. As of February 2026, no guards have been criminally charged.

VICTIM PROFILE¶

Geraldo Lunas Campos

Field	Detail
Full Name	Geraldo Lunas Campos
Age at Death	55 years old
Nationality	Cuban
Year of Arrival	1996 (legally admitted; part of wave of Cuban immigrants reaching Florida by boat)
Time in U.S.	30 years
Residence	Rochester, New York (lived there for 20+ years)
Family	Father of four children, including adult daughter Kary Lunas (25) and two younger children with Jeanette Pagan-Lopez
Medical History	Bipolar disorder, anxiety; taking prescription antidepressant and antihistamine medications
Employment	Worked minimum-wage job at a furniture store (only employment available due to criminal record, per Pagan-Lopez)
Criminal History	2003: convicted in New York of sexual contact with individual under 11 (1 year jail, sex offender registry); 2009: convicted of attempting to sell a controlled substance
Immigration Status	Ordered removed March 1, 2005; government could not obtain travel documents from Cuba
Date of ICE Arrest	July 2025, Rochester, NY (planned enforcement operation)
Date of Transfer	September 2025 (transferred to Camp East Montana)
Date of Death	January 3, 2026
Cause of Death	Asphyxia due to neck and torso compression (HOMICIDE)

Family Statements¶

Kary Lunas (daughter, age 25):

"My father was not a child molester. He was a good dad."

She stated that the child sexual abuse accusation was false, made as part of a contentious custody battle.

Jeanette Pagan-Lopez (mother of his two youngest children):
- Together with Campos for approximately 15 years before breaking up eight years ago
- Described him as an attentive father who worked at a furniture store, the only job he could find due to his criminal record
- Reported that in the family's last phone call the week after Christmas (late December 2025), Campos talked to his kids about his expected deportation to Cuba and said he wanted them to visit the island so he could stay in their lives
- Statement: "He wasn't a bad guy. I just want justice, and his body here. That's all I want."
- Reported being contacted by FBI agents conducting an investigation into Campos' death
- Said the only way his body could be returned to Rochester free of charge was if she consented to cremation; she declined and sought to raise money to ship his body home

THE INCIDENT -- January 3, 2026¶

Facility¶

Camp East Montana
- Location: Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas
- Size: Largest ICE detention facility in the United States
- Capacity: Approximately 5,000 detainees (initially held ~1,000 men; expanding)
- Opened: August 17, 2025 (began receiving detainees August 1, 2025)
- Type: Soft-sided (tent) facility on desert terrain
- Contractor: Acquisition Logistics LLC (contract value: up to $1.24 billion)
- On military installation: Fort Bliss (U.S. Army base)

Timeline of Events¶

July 2025:
- ICE arrested Lunas Campos during a planned enforcement operation in Rochester, New York
- ICE stated he was picked up due to criminal convictions making him eligible for removal

September 2025:
- Transferred to Camp East Montana
- Among the first detainees sent to the newly opened facility

Late December 2025 (week after Christmas):
- Last phone call with family
- Discussed his expected deportation to Cuba with his children
- Expressed desire for children to visit him on the island

January 3, 2026 -- The Killing:

ICE Version of Events:
- Lunas Campos "became disruptive while in line for medication and refused to return to his assigned dorm"
- Staff moved him to a segregated cellblock where detainees are held separately
- "While in segregation, staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel"
- "Medical staff responded, initiated lifesaving measures, and requested emergency medical services"
- DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin: "Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life. During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness."

Witness Account -- Santos Jesus Flores (to the Washington Post):
- Witnessed at least five guards fighting with Campos after he refused to enter the segregation unit
- Guards had Campos handcuffed
- At least five guards pinned him to the floor
- At least one guard squeezed an arm around Campos' neck
- Campos repeatedly cried "no puedo respirar" -- "I can't breathe" -- in Spanish
- Campos became unresponsive while physically restrained

Witness Account -- Second detainee (to the Associated Press):
- Corroborated that Lunas Campos was handcuffed
- At least five guards held him down
- One guard placed an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious

911 Call -- Lt. Paul Walden (private security guard):

"He tried to hang himself, and then we put him in cuffs, and he kept going."

Critical Analysis of 911 Call:
The 911 call claims a suicide attempt preceded the restraint. However, the autopsy found no evidence of a suicide attempt -- no mention of ligature marks consistent with self-hanging, no mention of self-harm. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia from compression of the neck and torso during restraint by others. The "kept going" language is ambiguous and does not specify what Campos allegedly continued doing. Whether there was any genuine suicide attempt preceding the fatal restraint remains unresolved, but the death was caused by the restraint, not by self-harm.

AUTOPSY FINDINGS¶

El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office¶

Examining Physician: Dr. Adam Gonzalez, Deputy Medical Examiner

Finding	Detail
Cause of Death	Asphyxia due to neck and torso compression
Manner of Death	HOMICIDE
Physical Evidence	Injuries to neck, head, and torso associated with physical restraint
Abrasions	Chest and knees (consistent with being held on floor)
Petechial Hemorrhages	Found in eyelids and skin of the neck (tiny blood spots from burst capillaries, associated with asphyxiation)
Toxicology	Prescription antidepressant and antihistamine medications detected
Medical History Noted	Bipolar disorder and anxiety
Suicide Mention	None -- the autopsy report made no mention of a suicide attempt
Witness Statement in Report	Noted that witnesses saw Lunas Campos "become unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement"

Medical Definition: In forensic pathology, "homicide" means death at the hands of another person. It is a medical determination of the manner of death and does not automatically equate to criminal liability -- but it conclusively establishes that another person's actions caused the death.

Comparison: ICE Claims vs. Autopsy¶

ICE Claim	Autopsy Finding
"Attempting suicide"	No mention of suicide attempt
"Staff tried to save him"	Death caused by staff actions (restraint)
Self-inflicted cause implied	Injuries from physical restraint by others
Suicide narrative	Homicide ruling

ICE CONTRADICTIONS¶

The Evolving Official Narrative¶

January 3 (initial): ICE stated Lunas Campos was found "in distress" in segregation. No mention of an altercation with guards.

January 9 (ICE press release): Added context that Lunas Campos "became disruptive while in line for medication."

After autopsy release: DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin introduced the claim that "Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life."

Key Omissions from ICE Account:
- No mention of chokehold or neck compression
- No mention of five guards restraining one handcuffed man
- No mention of "I can't breathe" statements
- No mention that Lunas Campos died while being restrained

The progressive shifting of ICE's narrative -- from "found in distress" to "suicide attempt" to "violently resisted while trying to take his life" -- follows a pattern of retroactive justification as contradicting evidence emerged.

CAMP EAST MONTANA -- FACILITY PROFILE¶

The Contractor¶

The $1.24 billion contract to build and operate Camp East Montana was awarded to Acquisition Logistics LLC, a company that:
- Is headquartered in a single-family home in suburban Richmond, Virginia
- Lists its address as the home of Kenneth A. Wagner, a 77-year-old retired Navy flight officer (president and CEO)
- Had no prior experience running a corrections facility
- Had never won a federal contract worth more than $16 million before this $1.24 billion award
- Is classified as a veteran and Hispanic-owned small disadvantaged business
- Lacks a functioning website
- Has subcontracted with other companies to operate the camp

The Pentagon has refused to release the contract or explain why Acquisition Logistics was selected over a dozen other bidders.

Facility Conditions¶

During its first 50 days of operation, ICE's own detention oversight unit found that Camp East Montana violated at least 60 federal standards, including:
- Medical care deficiencies
- Food service problems
- Failure to ensure private contractors had use-of-force policies consistent with ICE policy
- "Unreasonable barriers" to accessing legal counsel (partly due to location on a military installation)

Environmental Conditions:
- Located in the Chihuahuan Desert where temperatures exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit
- Soft-sided (tent) structures
- Desert terrain near the U.S.-Mexico border

Deaths at Camp East Montana¶

Three detainees have died at Camp East Montana since it opened in August 2025:

#	Date	Name	Age	Nationality	Cause	Ruling
1	Dec 3, 2025	Francisco Gaspar-Andres	48	Guatemala	Complications of alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis	Natural causes
2	Jan 3, 2026	Geraldo Lunas Campos	55	Cuba	Asphyxia from neck/torso compression	HOMICIDE
3	Jan 14, 2026	Victor Manuel Diaz	36	Nicaragua	Under investigation ("presumed suicide")	Pending (autopsy at Army hospital, not independent ME)

Three deaths in under 50 days at a single facility -- with one confirmed homicide and another disputed "suicide."

Calls to Close the Facility¶

ACLU of Texas: Called for Camp East Montana to be shut down, alleging "broader pattern of unchecked violence and abuse" by ICE
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX): Wrote to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons describing conditions as "dangerous and inhumane"; called for the facility to be shut down and the contract terminated
Coalition of organizations: Texas and New Mexico immigrant rights, legal advocacy, and faith-based groups demanded closure

INVESTIGATION STATUS¶

FBI Investigation¶

Jeanette Pagan-Lopez reported being contacted by FBI agents conducting an investigation into Campos' death. The scope and status of this investigation are not publicly known. As of February 2026, no charges have been announced.

Attorney Carroll, a public defender, noted a potential "shift" in the federal government's willingness to investigate: "A week ago, I would not have been surprised if the federal government dragged its feet on investigating what happened to Lunas Campos. However, we're seeing a little bit of a shift."

Witness Protection -- Emergency Court Order¶

Attorneys for Campos' family filed an emergency petition seeking to block the deportation of witnesses to the incident. A federal judge granted the request, citing concerns that deporting witnesses could obstruct investigations into the circumstances of Campos' death.

Significance: Without this court order, eyewitnesses -- who were fellow ICE detainees -- would have been removed from the country, effectively destroying the evidence chain. The granting of this emergency order indicates the court found sufficient grounds to believe the witness testimony was critical to an ongoing or potential investigation.

Criminal Prosecution Prospects¶

Jurisdictional Complexity:
- Camp East Montana is located on Fort Bliss, a federal military installation
- ICE is a federal agency
- The guards involved were private contractors (employed by Acquisition Logistics LLC or subcontractors)
- El Paso County has jurisdiction over local crimes, but federal jurisdiction complicates local prosecution
- Federal prosecution would require action by the U.S. Attorney's Office

Historical Precedent for Accountability:
- 400+ ICE/CBP deaths documented (2010-2026)
- 59 ICE-involved shootings (2015-2021) resulting in 23 deaths
- Zero indictments of ICE agents or staff for use of force
- Medical examiners have previously ruled ICE custody deaths as homicide without resulting in prosecution

PATTERN ANALYSIS¶

Restraint Asphyxiation Deaths¶

Geraldo Lunas Campos' death mirrors a documented pattern of restraint-related killings in law enforcement custody:

Case	Year	Similarities
George Floyd (Minneapolis PD)	2020	"I can't breathe" + prolonged restraint + asphyxiation + knee on neck
Eric Garner (NYPD)	2014	"I can't breathe" + chokehold + asphyxiation + ME ruled homicide
Geraldo Lunas Campos (ICE)	2026	"No puedo respirar" + chokehold + asphyxiation + ME ruled homicide

Common Pattern Elements:
1. Subject restrained by multiple officers/guards
2. Neck compression or chokehold applied
3. Subject verbally states inability to breathe
4. Restraint continues despite verbal distress signals
5. Subject loses consciousness during restraint
6. Death caused by asphyxiation
7. Official narrative conflicts with witness accounts and physical evidence
8. Medical examiner rules homicide
9. Criminal prosecution proves extremely difficult

ICE "Suicide" Narrative Pattern¶

ICE initially labeled Campos' death as a suicide attempt, a claim contradicted by the autopsy and witness testimony. This follows a documented ICE pattern of mislabeling deaths:

The Pattern:
1. Detainee dies in custody
2. ICE immediately labels death as "suicide," "natural causes," or "medical emergency"
3. Independent investigation reveals contradicting evidence
4. Official narrative evolves to incorporate new details retroactively

In 2026 alone, ICE labeled at least two deaths as "suicide" (Campos and Victor Diaz) -- the first was ruled a homicide by an independent medical examiner, and the second's autopsy was routed away from the independent ME to a military hospital.

2026 Death Timeline Context¶

Campos' death was the first of 2026. It began a devastating sequence:

Jan 3: Geraldo Lunas Campos -- HOMICIDE (Camp East Montana)
Jan 5: Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres -- "Heart issues" (Houston)
Jan 6: Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz -- "Heart issues" (Calexico)
Jan 7: Renee Good -- Shot by ICE Agent Ross (Minneapolis) -- HOMICIDE
Jan 9: Parady La -- Drug withdrawal
Jan 14: Heber Sanchez Dominguez -- "Apparent suicide" (Clayton County, GA)
Jan 14: Victor Manuel Diaz -- "Presumed suicide" (Camp East Montana)

Four deaths in four days (Jan 3-6), followed by a shooting and more deaths. This pace -- with the detained population at an all-time high of 73,000+ -- far exceeds 2025's already record-setting death rate.

CRITICAL QUESTIONS¶

Who were the guards? What are the names and employment histories of the guards who restrained Lunas Campos? Were they employees of Acquisition Logistics LLC or a subcontractor? What training had they received on use of force and restraint asphyxiation risks?
Video evidence: Does Camp East Montana have surveillance cameras in the area where the incident occurred? Has footage been preserved? Will it be released?
Full autopsy report: Only summary findings have been made public. Will the complete autopsy report -- including photographs, detailed injury descriptions, and toxicology -- be released?
Use-of-force policy: ICE's own oversight unit found that Camp East Montana contractors lacked use-of-force policies consistent with ICE standards. Were the guards operating under any formal use-of-force policy?
Why five guards? Why were at least five guards needed to restrain one handcuffed 55-year-old man? What de-escalation was attempted?
Mental health care: Lunas Campos had diagnosed bipolar disorder and anxiety. Was his mental health condition being appropriately managed at Camp East Montana? Did his medication remain consistent? Was the disruption that preceded the restraint related to his mental health condition?
Suicide claim: If ICE's claim that Campos was attempting suicide is true, why did five guards respond with physical force rather than mental health intervention? Why did the restraint escalate to chokehold and neck compression?
FBI investigation status: What is the current status of the FBI investigation? Will findings be made public? Is a grand jury being convened?
Witness protection: How many witnesses were covered by the emergency deportation hold? Are they safe from retaliation within the facility?
Body disposition: Why was the family told the only free option to return Campos' body was cremation? Was this a standard policy or an attempt to destroy potential additional evidence?

ASSESSMENT¶

Confidence: HIGH

Confirmed (multiple independent sources):
- Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, Cuban immigrant, father of four, lived in U.S. since 1996
- Had history of bipolar disorder and anxiety; on prescription medications
- Arrested by ICE in July 2025 in Rochester, NY; transferred to Camp East Montana September 2025
- Died January 3, 2026, at Camp East Montana, Fort Bliss, El Paso, TX
- El Paso County Medical Examiner ruled death a HOMICIDE
- Cause: Asphyxia due to neck and torso compression during physical restraint
- Autopsy found injuries to neck, head, torso; petechial hemorrhages in eyelids and neck
- Autopsy made no mention of suicide attempt
- Multiple witnesses described guards handcuffing, tackling, and choking Campos
- Witnesses heard him say "I can't breathe" (no puedo respirar) repeatedly
- At least five guards involved in restraint
- ICE claimed "suicide attempt" -- contradicted by autopsy and witnesses
- DHS spokesperson's narrative shifted and evolved as evidence emerged
- FBI reportedly investigating
- Federal judge blocked deportation of witnesses
- Daughter Kary Lunas (25) defended father; disputed sex offense conviction
- Jeanette Pagan-Lopez (mother of two children) seeking justice and return of body
- No criminal charges filed against any guards as of February 2026

Critical Assessment:

This is not a "death in custody." This is a documented killing.

A medical examiner ruled it homicide. Multiple independent witnesses described guards choking a handcuffed man who said he could not breathe. The autopsy found physical evidence consistent with restraint asphyxiation and inconsistent with suicide. ICE's initial suicide narrative has been contradicted by every piece of independent evidence that has emerged.

The killing occurred at a facility that violated 60 federal standards in its first 50 days, operated by a contractor with no corrections experience, awarded a $1.24 billion contract through a process the Pentagon refuses to explain. Three people died at this facility in under 50 days.

The pattern -- "I can't breathe," chokehold, asphyxiation, medical examiner rules homicide, official narrative contradicts evidence -- echoes George Floyd and Eric Garner. The difference: this killing happened behind the walls of a federal detention facility on a military base, where transparency is minimal and accountability has historically been nonexistent.

SOURCES¶

Primary Reporting¶

911 Call and Evidence¶

Family Statements¶

13WHAM Rochester - Man Arrested in Rochester Dies at ICE Facility

Witness Protection¶

BorderReport - Court Stops Deportation of Key Witnesses in ICE Homicide Case

Facility Background¶

Advocacy and Oversight¶

Criminal Prosecution Prospects¶

KSAT - After Death Ruled Homicide, Will Prosecutors Pursue Criminal Case?

Congressional Submission¶

Congress.gov - Melissa Hellmann Submission to House Judiciary

Broader Context¶

Research completed: February 5, 2026, 04:52 UTC
Last updated: February 12, 2026
Priority: URGENT - Homicide ruling; FBI investigation underway; no charges filed

Published by Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Methodology: Bellingcat-standard OSINT -- public sources only