OSINT Dossier: Heber Sanchez Dominguez - Death in ICE Detention¶

Date of Research: February 5, 2026 (updated February 12, 2026)
Published by: Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Subject: Heber Sanchez Dominguez - Death in ICE custody at Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
Confidence: MEDIUM-HIGH
Classification: detention-death / apparent-suicide

PRIVATE CONTRACTOR: GEO GROUP

Facility operated by GEO Group, Inc. (NYSE: GEO) — the largest for-profit prison corporation in the world. GEO Group operates Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility on a 20-year contract with Clayton County. See Infrastructure for full contractor profiles.

Executive Summary¶

On January 14, 2026, Heber Sanchez Dominguez, a 34-year-old Mexican national, husband, and father of two children -- one of whom has Down syndrome -- was found dead in his sleeping quarters at the Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility in Lovejoy, Clayton County, Georgia. ICE claims he died by "apparent suicide," stating that medical staff discovered him "hanging by the neck and unresponsive" at approximately 2:05 a.m. He was transported to Piedmont Henry Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:09 a.m. EDT. He had been in ICE custody for just six to seven days.

Sanchez Dominguez's path to federal detention began with a minor traffic violation: he was arrested by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office on January 7, 2026, for driving without a license, and was subsequently transferred into ICE custody. He had first entered the United States near Nogales, Arizona, in December 2023, was detained by Border Patrol, issued a Notice to Appear, and released on his own recognizance. There is no indication of any criminal history beyond the traffic offense. ICE reported that medical staff conducted an intake evaluation and found "no signs of distress" at the time of admission.

His death was the fifth in ICE custody in the first sixteen days of 2026 -- a year pacing to exceed 2025's record-breaking 32 detention deaths. It occurred on the same day as the death of Victor Manuel Diaz at Camp East Montana in Texas, also labeled a "presumed suicide" by ICE. The Mexican Consulate in Atlanta demanded a transparent investigation. U.S. Representative David Scott called for immediate accountability. Georgia State Representative Eric Bell demanded ICE operations be removed from Clayton County entirely. Sur Legal Collaborative, an immigrant advocacy organization, expressed deep skepticism of ICE's account, stating: "Quite frankly, ICE can't be trusted." A Change.org petition was launched demanding an independent investigation. A GoFundMe campaign was established by the family to cover funeral expenses, repatriation costs, and financial support for his wife, Mirna Sanchez, and their children.

VICTIM PROFILE¶

Heber Sanchez Dominguez

Field	Detail
Full Name	Heber Sanchez Dominguez
Age at Death	34 years old
Nationality	Mexican
Family	Married to Mirna Sanchez; father of 2 children, one of whom has Down syndrome
Immigration Entry	December 22, 2023, near Nogales, Arizona
Immigration Status	Entered without admission or parole; arrested by Border Patrol on entry date; issued Notice to Appear; released on own recognizance
Criminal History	Driving without a license (January 7, 2026) -- no other criminal record indicated
Date of Arrest	January 7, 2026 (by Richmond County Sheriff's Office, Georgia)
Date of ICE Transfer	On or shortly after January 7, 2026
Detention Facility	Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility, Lovejoy, Clayton County, GA
Time in Custody	Approximately 6-7 days
Date of Death	January 14, 2026
Time of Death	Pronounced dead at 3:09 a.m. EDT at Piedmont Henry Medical Center
ICE Cause of Death	"Apparent suicide" -- found "hanging by the neck"
Official Cause of Death	Under investigation; Clayton County Medical Examiner to perform autopsy

Family Context:

According to the GoFundMe campaign organized by Sthefani Gisselle Guzman Herrera, Sanchez Dominguez "leaves behind his wife and two children, one of whom has Down syndrome and they are currently facing an extremely difficult and heartbreaking situation." His wife, Mirna Sanchez, has been listed as the direct beneficiary of the fundraiser. The family planned to repatriate his remains to Mexico, in accordance with the wishes expressed to the Mexican Consulate.

THE INCIDENT -- January 14, 2026¶

Facility¶

Robert A. Deyton (RAD) Detention Facility
- Location: Lovejoy, Clayton County, Georgia
- Operator: The GEO Group, Inc. (private corrections company)
- Owner: Clayton County (leased to GEO Group on a 20-year contract beginning April 23, 2007)
- Contract: USMS Contract Number ODT-8-C-0005, valued at approximately $650 million
- Capacity: 768 inmates
- Federal agencies served: U.S. Marshals Service (since 2008), ICE (since August 2018), Georgia Department of Corrections

Detailed Timeline¶

December 22, 2023:
- Sanchez Dominguez entered the United States at or near Nogales, Arizona, without admission or parole
- Arrested same day by U.S. Border Patrol agents
- Issued a Notice to Appear charging him with inadmissibility under federal immigration law (Section 212(a)(6)(A)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act)
- Released on his own recognizance

January 7, 2026:
- Arrested by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office in Georgia for driving without a license
- Following the traffic arrest, transferred into federal immigration detention
- Transferred to Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility, Lovejoy, GA, pending removal proceedings

January 7-13, 2026:
- Medical staff completed intake evaluation; reported "no signs of distress"
- No publicly available information about his treatment, mental health screening, or conditions during this period
- No public information about family contact, legal representation, or mental health assessments

January 14, 2026, approximately 2:05 a.m.:
- RAD medical staff discovered Sanchez Dominguez "hanging by the neck and unresponsive in his sleeping quarters"
- Medical staff immediately attempted lifesaving measures
- Transported via Emergency Medical Services to Piedmont Henry Medical Center

January 14, 2026, approximately 3:09 a.m. EDT:
- Piedmont Henry Medical Center staff pronounced him deceased
- Approximately one hour elapsed between discovery and death pronouncement

Post-death notifications:
- DHS Office of Inspector General notified through Joint Intake Center, consistent with ICE policy
- ICE Office of Professional Responsibility notified
- Mexican Consulate in Atlanta notified

CAUSE OF DEATH¶

ICE Official Statement¶

ICE characterized the death as an "apparent suicide" caused by hanging. The agency stated: "The official cause of death remains under investigation."

Autopsy Status¶

The Clayton County Medical Examiner's Office has been tasked with performing the autopsy. As of the last reporting, results have not been made public.

Critical Analysis of "Suicide" Claim¶

Red Flags Requiring Scrutiny:

ICE Pattern of Mislabeling: Just 11 days earlier, Geraldo Lunas Campos died at Camp East Montana. ICE initially claimed he was "attempting suicide" -- but the El Paso County Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by asphyxia from neck and torso compression during guard restraint.
Same-Day "Suicides": Two detainees were reported as suicides on January 14, 2026 -- Sanchez Dominguez in Georgia and Victor Manuel Diaz in Texas. Both had been in custody approximately one week. The statistical probability of two genuine suicides on the same day across different facilities warrants analysis.
Rapid Deterioration: Sanchez Dominguez was cleared with "no signs of distress" at intake. Within 6-7 days he was dead. What happened during those days?
Suicide Prevention Failures: If this was genuinely a suicide, it represents a catastrophic failure of detention suicide prevention protocols. How was hanging possible in the sleeping quarters? What surveillance existed? Was he ever screened for mental health risk?
No Independent Verification: No independent investigation has been publicly announced. The facility operator (GEO Group) and the detaining agency (ICE) have inherent conflicts of interest in investigating deaths in their own custody.

Comparison to Other ICE "Suicide" Claims:

Case	ICE Claim	Actual Finding
Geraldo Lunas Campos (Jan 3, 2026)	"Suicide attempt"	HOMICIDE (asphyxia from guard restraint)
Victor Manuel Diaz (Jan 14, 2026)	"Presumed suicide"	Family disputes; autopsy sent to Army facility (not independent ME)
Heber Sanchez Dominguez (Jan 14, 2026)	"Apparent suicide"	Under investigation

FACILITY INFORMATION¶

Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility¶

Operator: The GEO Group, Inc.
- Headquarters: Boca Raton, Florida
- 2019 total revenue: $2.48 billion
- USMS accounts for approximately $273 million (11%) of GEO revenue
- Operates 6 detention facilities for USMS

Contract History:
- 20-year lease from Clayton County beginning April 23, 2007
- USMS Contract valued at approximately $650 million (5-year base + three 5-year options)
- As of April 2020, USMS payments to GEO totaled approximately $369 million
- Contract set to end February 19, 2028 if final option exercised

How ICE Came to Use RAD:
In August 2018, after Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the Atlanta City Detention Center would no longer accept ICE detainees, ICE began housing immigration detainees at the RAD facility in nearby Clayton County. The facility's proximity to the Immigration Court in downtown Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (for deportation flights) made it a convenient alternative.

2020 DOJ Inspector General Audit Findings:
The DOJ Office of Inspector General audited GEO's operation of the Deyton Facility (January 2016 through December 2019) and found significant deficiencies:

Chronic Staffing Shortages: GEO did not consistently maintain the required 90% staffing level for detention security services. Essential positions were left unfilled. Numerous positions were vacant for more than 120 days. The USMS did not hold GEO accountable for these failures during January 2018 through March 2019.
Training Deficiencies: Not all transportation officers had completed federally required training courses.
Commissary Fund Mismanagement: Persistent and significant excess balances in commissary funds meant to benefit detainees, with no procedure to ensure funds were used appropriately.

Georgia Detention Context:
- Georgia houses six immigration detention facilities -- nearly as many as California (seven), despite being less than half the size
- 178 reported deaths in U.S. immigration detention centers between 2003 and 2018, three of which occurred in Georgia in 2018 alone
- Two detainees died of COVID-19 in ICE custody in Georgia as of early 2020
- A 2012 ACLU report documented human rights violations across Georgia detention centers including insufficient hygiene supplies, poor nutrition, and weight loss (one individual lost 68 pounds over a year)
- In September 2020, whistleblower reported involuntary hysterectomies at Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia
- Top complaint filed from individuals in Georgia immigration detention: medical neglect and abuse (per Freedom for Immigrants)
- Sanchez Dominguez was the third Mexican national to die in ICE custody in Georgia over the last year

POLITICAL AND ADVOCACY RESPONSE¶

U.S. Representative David Scott (D-GA)¶

Statement via X/Twitter (January 14, 2026):

"On January 14 Heber Sanchez Dominguez, a husband and father of 2, died under ICE detention. We still don't know the cause of death. I am closely monitoring this case, demanding immediate transparency and accountability from ICE. Every individual in federal custody is owed basic human dignity and safety."

Georgia State Representative Eric Bell (D-Jonesboro)¶

Published commentary titled "Get ICE Out of Clayton County":

"A man who entered that facility alive should not have left it in death."
"We are again mourning a life lost behind concrete walls, barbed wire and bureaucratic indifference."

Bell called on the Clayton County Board of Commissioners to:
- End the contract with the GEO Group
- Remove ICE and all ICE operations from Clayton County
- Act "not tomorrow, not quietly, not behind closed doors but now -- and in the open light of day"

Mexican Consulate in Atlanta¶

Expressed "deep regret" over the death
Requested "that the circumstances of the incident be clarified"
Stated it was "collaborating on the necessary procedures to ensure that the investigation is conducted promptly and transparently"
Working to return remains to Mexico in accordance with the family's wishes

Sur Legal Collaborative¶

Christopher Williams, Executive Director:

"We are heartbroken, we are shaken, and honestly disgusted. Quite frankly, ICE can't be trusted. We would need to do a lot of investigation into the exact circumstances and even then I would question."

The organization issued a formal demand:

"We further demand the immediate release of all records and documentation related to Mr. Sanchez Dominguez's detention, medical treatment, and the events leading up to his death. Transparency is not optional, it is a moral and legal obligation."

Change.org Petition¶

A petition was launched demanding:
1. The DHS Office of Inspector General launch an immediate, independent investigation
2. The ICE Office of Professional Responsibility investigate
3. U.S. Congress initiate oversight
4. All non-sensitive findings be released publicly
5. Investigation of whether mental health care, language access, or monitoring protocols were inadequate or ignored

GoFundMe Campaign¶

Organized by Sthefani Gisselle Guzman Herrera to support:
- Funeral expenses
- Repatriation costs for remains to Mexico
- Financial support for wife Mirna Sanchez and their two children

INVESTIGATION STATUS¶

Federal¶

Agency	Status
ICE Office of Professional Responsibility	Notified; status unknown
DHS Office of Inspector General	Notified through Joint Intake Center; status unknown
FBI	No investigation publicly announced
Independent federal investigation	None announced

State (Georgia)¶

Unknown if Georgia Bureau of Investigation is involved
Unknown if Clayton County authorities are independently investigating
Clayton County Medical Examiner's Office performing autopsy

Autopsy¶

To be performed by Clayton County Medical Examiner's Office
Results not yet public as of latest reporting
No indication of independent or family-requested second autopsy

PATTERN ANALYSIS¶

January 14, 2026 -- Two "Suicides" in One Day¶

Detail	Heber Sanchez Dominguez	Victor Manuel Diaz
Age	34	36
Nationality	Mexico	Nicaragua
Time in Custody	~7 days	8 days
Found	2:05 AM	4:09 PM
ICE Claim	"Apparent suicide"	"Presumed suicide"
Location	RAD Facility, Georgia	Camp East Montana, Texas
Family Dispute	No public statement disputing (limited family access)	Brother: "I don't believe he took his life"
Autopsy	Clayton County ME (independent)	Army medical center (not independent; ICE bypassed El Paso ME)

Both men died after approximately one week in custody. The occurrence of two reported suicides on the same day across different facilities is a statistical anomaly that demands scrutiny.

2026 Detention Death Surge¶

Sanchez Dominguez was the fifth person to die in ICE custody in the first 16 days of 2026:

Jan 3: Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, Cuba -- HOMICIDE (Camp East Montana, TX)
Jan 5: Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres, 42, Honduras -- "Heart issues" (Houston, TX)
Jan 6: Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, 68, Honduras -- "Heart issues" (Calexico, CA)
Jan 9: Parady La -- Drug withdrawal (inadequate care)
Jan 14: Heber Sanchez Dominguez, 34, Mexico -- "Apparent suicide" (Clayton County, GA)
Jan 14: Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, Nicaragua -- "Presumed suicide" (Camp East Montana, TX)

ICE Detained Population Context¶

The ICE detained population has surged from under 40,000 in January 2025 to over 73,000 as of mid-January 2026 -- an 84% increase and the highest level in the agency's 23-year history. This surge, driven by the Trump administration's mass-detention campaign, has strained facilities, staffing, medical care, and oversight capacity.

In 2025, at least 31-32 people died in ICE custody -- nearly tripling the 11 deaths in 2024 and setting a two-decade record. The next closest peak was 20 deaths in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Trump administration has stated its goal of detaining up to 100,000 immigrants at any given time, with $45 billion in new funding allocated to expand detention space.

ICE Accountability Record¶

400+ ICE/CBP deaths documented (2010-2026)
59 ICE shootings (2015-2021) resulting in 23 deaths
Zero indictments of ICE agents or staff for use of force
Congress requires ICE to publish death reports within 90 days, but ICE has not published one since the end of September 2025

CRITICAL QUESTIONS¶

About the Death¶

Suicide Verification: Was a suicide note found? Were there warning signs? Was he placed on suicide watch at any point during his detention?
Mental Health Screening: What mental health screening was conducted at intake? ICE reported "no signs of distress" -- but was a qualified mental health professional involved?
Language Access: Was Sanchez Dominguez provided mental health resources and communication in Spanish? Were language barriers a factor in identifying distress?
Cell/Quarters Conditions: How was hanging physically possible in the sleeping quarters? What suicide prevention measures were in place? Were ligature points accessible?
Surveillance: Is there video surveillance footage of the sleeping quarters area? Will it be preserved and released?

About the Detention¶

Seven Days: What happened during the approximately 7 days between arrest and death? What were his conditions? Did he have access to legal counsel? Was he able to contact his family?
Traffic Stop to Federal Detention: Why was a man arrested for driving without a license transferred to federal immigration detention? Was this proportionate?
Medical and Mental Health Care: What medical and mental health services were available and provided during his detention?

About the Investigation¶

Independent Autopsy: Will the family be offered an independent autopsy? Will the Clayton County ME findings be made public?
Conflict of Interest: GEO Group operates the facility where the death occurred. Who is investigating -- and are they independent of GEO and ICE?
Pattern: Given two "suicides" on the same day and ICE's documented history of mislabeling deaths (Geraldo Lunas Campos), will an independent review be conducted?

ASSESSMENT¶

Confidence: MEDIUM-HIGH

Confirmed (multiple sources):
- Heber Sanchez Dominguez, 34, Mexican national, married, father of 2 (one with Down syndrome)
- Arrested January 7, 2026, by Richmond County Sheriff's Office for driving without a license
- Transferred to ICE custody at Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
- Found "hanging by the neck and unresponsive" at approximately 2:05 a.m. on January 14, 2026
- Pronounced dead at 3:09 a.m. EDT at Piedmont Henry Medical Center
- ICE characterizes death as "apparent suicide"
- Intake evaluation reported "no signs of distress"
- Fifth ICE custody death in first 16 days of 2026
- Third Mexican national to die in ICE custody in Georgia in last year
- Mexican Consulate demanding transparent investigation
- Rep. David Scott demanding transparency and accountability
- Rep. Eric Bell demanding ICE removal from Clayton County
- Sur Legal Collaborative expressing skepticism and demanding records
- Clayton County Medical Examiner to perform autopsy
- DHS OIG and ICE OPR notified
- GoFundMe established for wife Mirna Sanchez and children
- Family plans to repatriate remains to Mexico

Unverified / Under Investigation:
- Whether death was actually suicide
- Mental health status during detention
- Quality of medical care received
- Whether suicide prevention protocols were followed
- Whether surveillance footage exists and what it shows
- Autopsy findings
- Any contact with family or legal counsel during detention

Critical Concerns:
- Two "suicides" reported on same day (January 14) at two different facilities
- ICE documented pattern of mislabeling detention deaths (Geraldo Lunas Campos case)
- Only 6-7 days in custody between intake ("no distress") and death
- GEO Group facility has documented history of staffing shortages, training deficiencies
- Georgia detention system has documented pattern of medical neglect
- ICE detained population at historic high of 73,000+ with inadequate oversight
- No independent investigation announced

Recommendation: Demand release of Clayton County Medical Examiner autopsy findings, all surveillance footage, intake and medical records, and documentation of any mental health screening. An independent investigation -- not conducted by ICE or GEO Group -- is essential given the documented pattern of ICE mislabeling deaths and the statistical anomaly of two reported suicides on the same day.

SOURCES¶

Primary News Coverage¶

Official Statements¶

Advocacy and Oversight¶

Facility and Contractor Background¶

Broader Context¶

Research completed: February 5, 2026, 08:56 UTC
Last updated: February 12, 2026
Priority: HIGH - Pattern of "suicide" claims on same day requires independent investigation

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