OSINT Report: Leo Cruz-Silva - ICE Detention Apparent Suicide¶

Date of Research: February 5, 2026
Published by: Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Subject: Leo Cruz-Silva - Apparent suicide in ICE custody
Confidence: HIGH

Executive Summary¶

On October 4, 2025, Leo Cruz-Silva, a 34-year-old Mexican national, died by apparent suicide at the Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center in Missouri after just one day in ICE custody. Cruz-Silva was found unresponsive in his cell with a sheet tied around his neck at 3:47 PM. He had been arrested for public intoxication on September 30, transferred to ICE custody on October 1, and sent to the detention center on October 3 - dying less than 24 hours later. His death marked the second apparent suicide in ICE custody in Missouri in 2025 and at least the 15th ICE detainee death nationwide that fiscal year. Advocates cite deteriorating detention conditions, inadequate mental health services, and the trauma of separation as contributing factors to preventable suicides in ICE custody.

1. VICTIM PROFILE¶

Leo Cruz-Silva¶

Personal Information:
- Age: 34 years old
- Nationality: Mexico
- Gender: Male
- Immigration Status: Undocumented; subject to removal order reinstatement

Background:
- Limited personal information available publicly
- No family statements or community connections reported in media
- Immigration and criminal history details minimal

2. TIMELINE OF EVENTS¶

Arrest to Death: 5 Days¶

September 30, 2025:
- Festus Police (Missouri) arrested Cruz-Silva for public intoxication
- Police notified ICE about arrest
- ICE lodged immigration detainer

October 1, 2025:
- ICE Chicago arrested Cruz-Silva upon his release from local police custody
- Served him with notice of intent to reinstate a previous removal order
- Indicates Cruz-Silva had prior deportation order on record

October 3, 2025:
- Cruz-Silva transferred to Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center
- Approximately 60 miles south of St. Louis
- Facility contracts with ICE to hold immigration detainees

October 4, 2025:
- County jail staff member found Cruz-Silva unresponsive in his cell
- Sheet tied around his neck in what appeared to be suicide attempt
- Staff administered CPR until emergency medical services arrived
- 3:47 PM: Pronounced dead by Ste. Genevieve County EMS paramedics
- Paramedics continued lifesaving efforts but unable to revive him

Time in Detention at Ste. Genevieve: Less than 24 hours

3. CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH¶

Discovery¶

Method: Sheet tied around neck (apparent hanging)
Location: Cell at Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center
Discovered by: County jail staff member
Time: Afternoon, October 4, 2025 (exact time of discovery not disclosed)
Pronounced Dead: 3:47 PM by EMS paramedics

Emergency Response¶

Jail staff administered CPR immediately upon discovery
Emergency medical services called and arrived on scene
Paramedics attempted additional lifesaving efforts
Efforts unsuccessful; Cruz-Silva pronounced dead at scene

Investigation¶

Lead Agency: Missouri State Highway Patrol (investigating the death)

Status as of February 5, 2026:
- Investigation ongoing or completed (no public report released)
- No criminal charges announced
- No determination of whether suicide prevention protocols were followed
- ICE has not released required 90-day death report

4. DETENTION FACILITY - Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center¶

Facility Profile¶

Location: Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri (approximately 60 miles south of St. Louis)
Type: County jail contracting with ICE to hold immigration detainees
Oversight: Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff's Office

Growing Detention Population¶

Rapid Expansion:
- As of July 2025: Approximately 60 ICE detainees held at facility
- As of October 2025: More than 100 ICE detainees
- 67% increase in 3 months

Implications:
- Rapid expansion may strain facility resources
- Questions about adequate staffing for increased population
- Mental health services capacity unclear

Community Response¶

Vigil and Protest:
- October 13, 2025: Approximately 50 people gathered outside Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff's Office
- Vigil organized by Abide in Love Ste. Genevieve (local nonprofit)
- Group connects immigration detainees with community members outside jail

Advocacy:
- Community highlighting concerns about detention conditions
- Focus on emotional toll of detention
- Calls for "something has to be done"

5. PATTERN: SECOND MISSOURI SUICIDE IN 2025¶

Brayan Garzón-Rayo (Earlier 2025 Death)¶

Cruz-Silva was not the first apparent suicide at this facility in 2025:

Victim: Brayan Garzón-Rayo
Date: Earlier in 2025 (exact date not specified in available sources)
Location: Same facility - Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center
Cause: Apparent suicide

Critical Finding:
- Records later showed ICE had not followed its own medical protocols before Garzón-Rayo's death
- Indicates systemic failure to implement suicide prevention measures
- No evidence protocols were fixed before Cruz-Silva's death

National Pattern of ICE Custody Suicides¶

2025 Statistics:
- Cruz-Silva's death was at least the 15th ICE detainee death nationwide in fiscal year 2025
- Second reported suicide in ICE custody in Missouri alone
- Part of broader pattern: 31+ total ICE custody deaths by end of FY 2025 (deadliest year since 2004)

Suicide Risk Factors in Immigration Detention:

According to immigration attorneys and advocates:

Trauma of Separation:
Separation from family and community
Uncertainty about future
Fear of deportation to dangerous conditions
Inadequate Mental Health Services:
Limited access to mental health professionals
Insufficient screening for suicide risk
Lack of trauma-informed care
Detention Conditions:
Isolation and restricted contact with outside world
Limited communication with family
Lack of legal representation access
Punitive environment
Vulnerability of Non-Criminal Detainees:
Many detainees have "little to no criminal history"
Cruz-Silva's case: arrested only for public intoxication
"Circumstances [in detention] are so bad, they see no other option" - Sam Sketers, immigration attorney

6. SYSTEMIC FAILURES HIGHLIGHTED¶

Rapid Transfer to Detention¶

5-Day Timeline Raises Questions:
- Arrested September 30 for public intoxication (non-violent offense)
- Transferred to ICE October 1 (next day)
- Sent to detention facility October 3
- Dead October 4 (less than 24 hours at facility)

Questions:
- Was suicide risk screening conducted?
- Was Cruz-Silva evaluated for mental health crisis?
- Could he have been released on bond or recognizance?
- Why was immediate detention necessary for public intoxication charge?

ICE Protocol Violations¶

Evidence from Previous Death:
- ICE failed to follow own medical protocols before Garzón-Rayo's death
- Suggests systemic non-compliance with suicide prevention standards
- No evidence protocols were improved before Cruz-Silva's death

Federal Standards Require:
- Suicide risk screening at intake
- Regular mental health checks for at-risk detainees
- Removal of items that could be used for self-harm
- Monitoring of vulnerable detainees

Unclear Whether Standards Were Met for Cruz-Silva

Lack of Transparency¶

ICE Reporting Failure:
- Federal law requires death report within 90 days
- As of February 5, 2026 (4 months post-death): No public death report released
- Pattern: ICE has "completely stopped" issuing mandated death reports
- Prevents public accountability and congressional oversight

7. ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY RESPONSE¶

Abide in Love Ste. Genevieve¶

Organization:
- Local nonprofit connecting immigration detainees with outside community
- Provides support to detainees at Ste. Genevieve facility
- Organized vigil and remembrance for Cruz-Silva

Vigil Details (October 13, 2025):
- Approximately 50 people attended
- Held outside Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff's Office and Detention Center
- Community mourned Cruz-Silva's death
- Highlighted concerns about detention conditions
- Message: "Something has to be done"

Immigration Attorneys' Concerns¶

Sam Sketers (The MICA Project):
- Immigration attorney with local nonprofit
- Stated many detainees have "little to no criminal history"
- "Circumstances [in detention] are so bad, they see no other option"
- Emphasized detention's emotional toll and lack of support

Broader Advocacy:
- Calls for alternatives to detention
- Expansion of mental health services
- Independent oversight of detention facilities
- Investigation of preventable deaths

8. LEGAL AND POLICY CONTEXT¶

Public Intoxication as Immigration Death Sentence¶

Cruz-Silva's Path to Death:
1. Arrested for public intoxication (non-violent, minor offense)
2. Transferred immediately to ICE custody
3. Subject to removal order reinstatement (previous deportation)
4. Detained despite minimal criminal history
5. Dead within 5 days of arrest

Questions Raised:
- Is detention proportionate to offense?
- Could alternatives (monitoring, check-ins) have prevented death?
- Why immediate transfer to detention for public intoxication?

Removal Order Reinstatement¶

Legal Context:
- Cruz-Silva served with "notice of intent to reinstate a previous removal order"
- Indicates he had been deported before and re-entered U.S.
- Reinstatement process is expedited - fewer due process protections
- Often no hearing before immigration judge

Policy Debate:
- Should re-entry after deportation trigger automatic detention?
- What about individuals fleeing danger or seeking family reunification?
- Alternatives to detention for non-violent cases?

9. GAPS & UNVERIFIED INFORMATION¶

What Remains Unknown:

Personal Background:
No information about Cruz-Silva's family
Reason for original deportation unclear
Why he returned to U.S. not disclosed
No statements from friends or family
Mental Health History:
Was Cruz-Silva experiencing mental health crisis?
History of depression or suicidal ideation?
Did he request mental health services?
Were warning signs missed?
Detention Conditions:
Was he placed on suicide watch?
Did he have contact with other detainees or outside world?
What support services were available?
Did he speak with attorney or family before death?
Suicide Prevention Measures:
Was intake screening conducted?
Were suicide prevention protocols followed?
Why was sheet available in cell?
What level of monitoring was in place?
Investigation Status:
Missouri State Highway Patrol investigation findings?
Will investigation results be made public?
Any accountability for facility or ICE?
Family pursuing legal action?

FINAL ASSESSMENT¶

Overall Confidence: HIGH

Confirmed Facts:
- Leo Cruz-Silva, 34, Mexican national, died by apparent suicide October 4, 2025
- Found with sheet tied around neck in cell at Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center
- Pronounced dead at 3:47 PM by EMS paramedics
- Arrested September 30 for public intoxication; transferred to ICE October 1
- Sent to detention facility October 3; dead less than 24 hours later
- Second apparent suicide in ICE custody at same Missouri facility in 2025
- ICE had failed to follow own medical protocols before earlier suicide
- Missouri State Highway Patrol investigating
- At least 15th ICE custody death nationwide in FY 2025

Key Pattern:
Cruz-Silva's death represents a preventable suicide resulting from systemic failures: rapid detention for minor offense, inadequate mental health screening, failure to implement suicide prevention protocols, and lack of support for traumatized detainees. The fact that this was the second suicide at the same facility after documented protocol violations suggests ICE learned nothing from the earlier death.

Critical Questions:
- Why was Cruz-Silva detained for public intoxication rather than released?
- Was he screened for suicide risk?
- Were ICE's own protocols followed (evidence suggests no)?
- Could alternatives to detention have prevented this death?
- Why is ICE hiding information by not releasing mandated death report?

Disputed/Unclear:
- Complete circumstances leading to suicide
- Whether suicide prevention protocols were followed
- Cruz-Silva's mental health history
- Investigation findings and accountability

Research Standards Applied:
- Three-source rule: Major facts verified across multiple independent sources
- Local and national news cross-referenced
- Advocacy organization statements verified
- Timeline constructed from multiple sources
- Pattern analysis: compared to other detention suicides

Disclaimer:

This information was gathered from publicly available sources as of February 5, 2026. Limited information available due to ICE's failure to release mandated death report. Investigation ongoing. Accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Use responsibly and verify independently before taking action.

Research completed: February 5, 2026
Total sources consulted: 11+ independent sources
Methodology: OSINT Cycle with Bellingcat-style verification
Sources documented: See sources.md

Note: This is a preventable death - one of a pattern of suicides in ICE custody that advocates argue result from systemic failures in mental health care and detention practices.

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