Medical examiner rules migrant's death at Camp East Montana a homicide
By: Natalie Venegas
The El Paso County Medical Examiner has officially ruled the death of 55-year-old Cuban migrant Geraldo Lunas Campos, who died at Camp East Montana, a homicide, according to an autopsy report obtained by KFOX14/CBS4 on Wednesday.
According to the autopsy report, Campos' cause of death is "asphyxia due to neck and torso compression."
"Based on the investigative and examination findings, it is my opinion that the cause of death is asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The manner of death is homicide," the autopsy report states.
What is in the autopsy report?
The autopsy report states that Campos had sustained "scattered superficial abrasions" and had died after reports that Campos became unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement.
The autopsy revealed that there was neck compression and hemorrhages in the eyelids.
"There was hemorrhage involving the strap muscles and connective tissues of the neck. Petechial hemorrhages were also noted in the eyelids and skin of the neck," the autopsy report states.
According to the report, Campos also had a medical history that included bipolar disorder and anxiety.
Postmortem toxicology tests also detected the presence of trazodone and hydroxyzine in Campos' system, which are medications used to treat depression and anxiety.
The homicide ruling comes after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Campos, a convicted felon, died Jan. 3 at around 10:16 p.m., at the detention center after suffering an undisclosed medical emergency.
Previous reporting by the Washington Post had cited a recording shared by Campos' daughter, in which an employee from the El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner's Office reportedly told her that the preliminary cause of death was "asphyxia due to neck and chest compression."
In a previous emailed statement to KFOX14/CBS4 regarding the Post's reporting, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said Campos attempted to take his own life.
"On January 3rd, Geraldo Lunas Campos, a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator, attempted to take his own life while he was detained at the Camp East Montana detention facility. The security staff immediately intervened to save his life. Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life. During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness. Medical staff was immediately called and responded. After repeated attempts to resuscitate him, EMTs declared him deceased on the scene," a DHS spokesperson said.
"ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody," a DHS spokesperson continued. "This is still an active investigation, and more details are forthcoming. ICE investigates the circumstances of all deaths in custody."
When reached for comment on the official cause of death, DHS reiterated to KFOX14/CBS4 that Campos had tried to take his own life.
KFOX14/CBS4 has reached out to Campos' family attorney via phone for comment.
What Happened?
As KFOX14/CBS4 previously reported, Campos was the second death reported at the detention center.
At the time the death was reported, ICE said Campos had been disruptive earlier that day while waiting in line for medication and had reportedly refused to return to his room. As a result, ICE said they put Campos in "segregation," where later staff from the detention center saw him in "distress" and called for on-site medical staff.
ICE stated that medical personnel from Camp East Montana tried lifesaving measures but eventually had to call emergency services.
However, according to the Post, two men at the detention center had witnessed Campos' death and had given their account, stating that guards at the facility had choked him to death.
Following the account, the Post reported that the Trump administration is seeking to deport the two men who provided the witness accounts.
According to court documents obtained by KFOX14/CBS4, a petition was filed by Campos' three children asking a federal court that the two migrants at the detention center who witnessed the incident not be deported.
The petition states that the family aims to pursue the testimony of the two migrants before the government removes them from the U. S.
Court records show that the request was granted, and both men are scheduled to give a deposition next month.
According to the documents, one of the men told the Post that he saw guards choking Campos, saying in Spanish that he couldn't breathe.
Additionally, the court documents show that Campos' three children are also planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Campos had been arrested by immigration officers on July 14, 2025, in Rochester, New York, and held at Camp East Montana since Sept. 6, officials reported. He had been in the country for 30 years, having reportedly entered the U.S. in 1996.
ICE stated that in March 2005, an immigration judge ordered his deportation; however, Campos was not removed because "the government could not obtain travel documents."
ICE listed Campos' convictions:
-Criminal possession of a weapon on June 8, 1998
-Petit larceny on May 5, 1999
-Unlawful possession of a weapon during a robbery on March 22, 2002
-Sexual contact with a child under 11 on Jan. 17, 2003
-Petit larceny on Oct. 14, 2005
-Petit larceny on May 25, 2006
-Reckless driving on June 8, 2006
-Possession of a controlled substance on Feb. 26, 2007
-Driving while intoxicated on Oct. 26, 2007
-Sale of a controlled substance on Feb. 17, 2009
Campos' death comes after the first migrant death in Camp East Montana was reported on Dec. 3.
According to ICE, 48-year-old Francisco Gaspar-Andres died from natural causes. An autopsy obtained by KFOX14/CBS4 states that Gaspar-Andres died from complications of liver disease.
What are local leaders saying?
In an emailed statement to KFOX14/CBS4 regarding the official cause of death of Campos, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar said, "Secretary Noem and Director Lyons have an obligation to provide Congress with a thorough briefing on the circumstances of the confirmed murder of a detainee at Camp East Montana. Witnesses claim staff killed the detainee; DHS must preserve all evidence - including halting their effort to deport the witnesses. I reiterate my call for Camp East Montana to be shut down and for the contract with the corporation running it to be terminated."
El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson also spoke on Campos' death and increased ICE activity in the Borderland in a social media post on Instagram, calling for transparency and accountability.
“The reported homicide at Camp East Montana is deeply troubling and unacceptable. There must be a full, independent investigation into the contractor operating the facility and the federal oversight systems responsible for ensuring safety and compliance. Transparency, accountability, and human dignity are non-negotiable values for our community. Recent immigration enforcement activity has also created understandable concern among families in our region. El Paso is a community built by immigrants, strengthened by diversity, and guided by compassion and the rule of law. Public safety is best achieved when residents feel safe accessing services, reporting crimes, and sending their children to school and work without fear," Johnson said. "The City is coordinating with community partners to ensure accurate information is shared and that families know where to find support. We will continue to advocate for humane, fair, and orderly immigration policies that respect due process and keep families together whenever possible.”
He added, "El Paso has always led with dignity and humanity, and we will continue to do so while upholding the law and protecting our residents.”
In an email to KFOX14/CBS4, Savannah Kumar, staff attorney for the ACLU of Texas, also provided the following statement:
"We grieve the three lives already lost at this ICE detention center located on a U.S. military base. For months, we have interviewed people detained at Camp East Montana, who bravely spoke on the dangers they have experienced: beatings by officials, the denial of medical care, housing areas flooded with excrement, and inedible food that caused illness," Kumar said. "Our letter alerted the government to conditions at a breaking point. We continue to demand, urgently, that ICE and the Department of Defense stop this cruelty by ending the detention of immigrants at Ft. Bliss before additional lives are lost."
Lawsuit claims El Paso religious recovery leader abused men in court-mandated care
By: Natalie Venegas
A civil lawsuit filed in April accuses a local recovery program and a religious counselor of sexually abusing five men enrolled in a court-mandated treatment program, according to court documents obtained by KFOX14/CBS4 on Monday.
According to the lawsuit, five former residents of Casa Vida de Salud say they were groomed, assaulted, and threatened by Jorge Gabriel Giorgetti, aka George Gabriel Georgetti, a chaplain and recovery coach who worked closely with residents.
The Recovery Alliance of El Paso, a non-profit organization, operates residential and sober living recovery programs for those struggling with substance use and addiction, including Casa Vida, a 37-bed residential recovery center in central El Paso, according to its website.
In the lawsuit, five men say that through the summer of 2024, a spiritual advisor, Giorgetti, used his authority over them to serially abuse them.
The lawsuit alleges Giorgetti would routinely question residents of Casa Vida, including the five plaintiffs, under the pretense of spiritual guidance, but that the conversation would turn sexual, including questions about sexual abuse, sexual acts with men and women, homosexual thoughts, and other sexually charged questions.
In addition, Giorgetti would regularly take residents to a restaurant and ask questions such as if they found waitresses attractive, whether they were aroused, or what sexual acts they would perform with the waitresses, the lawsuit states.
On multiple occasions, Giorgetti had also taken residents to other locations where he had sexually assaulted residents, including his house, car, and his office at the recovery facility, under coercion and fear, the lawsuit alleges.
According to the lawsuit, El Paso Alliance allowed Giorgetti to take residents on outings.
The lawsuit states that the men feared speaking out due to Giorgetti's ability to report residents as non-compliant, which could lead to jail time, as Giorgetti would remind them that failure to comply with his demands would result in their expulsion from the court-mandated program.
"If you don’t do this, I will throw you out," Giorgetti is quoted as saying, according to one of the alleged victims in the lawsuit.
According to court documents, when Giorgetti made advances and victims declined, he would threaten their positions at the facility.
"No one would believe an addict,” he's quoted as saying.
The lawsuit from April 2025 is against El Paso Alliance-Casa Vida De Salud and George Gabriel Giorgetti. The suit claims El Paso Alliance-Casa Vida De Salud kept Georgetti as a spiritual leader and supervisor, with access to vulnerable residents, failing to act on complaints or red flags, and allowing the abuse to continue.
KFOX14/CBS4 has reached out to Giorgetti's lawyer, Gabriel S. Perez, who sent the following statement on Tuesday:
Mr. Giorgetti is aware of the civil lawsuit that has been filed and is currently pending before the 120th Judicial District Court in El Paso County, Texas. He intends to respond to the allegations through the legal process and looks forward to the opportunity to defend himself in court. At this time, he will have no further comment.
KFOX14/CBS4 has also contacted Recovery Alliance of El Paso-Casa Vida Salud on Monday.
In a statement emailed to KFOX14/CBS4 on Tuesday, Recovery Alliance Executive Director Ben Bass said, "We at the Recovery Alliance opened our doors in 1998 and have been serving people in El Paso seeking recovery from alcoholism and addiction since then. In 2005, we opened Casa Vida and have served thousands of El Pasoans since then, with the rooms of recovery filled up with people from this very successful project since that day. We are vigorously defending this lawsuit."
Bass added that Giorgetti "was never employed by us. He was a volunteer and held no credentials in our field."
The lawsuit also named other defendants, including the Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, the Diocese of the Holy Trinity and Great Plains, and the Right Reverend Leo Joseph Michael.
According to Jonathan Baeza, an attorney who represents the men in the lawsuit, these defendants and the claims against them have been "resolved."
KFOX14/CBS4 has contacted the Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite on Monday evening, but has not heard back.
In a statement to KFOX14/CBS4 on Monday, Baeza, said in part, "Our focus now is pursuing claims against Casa Vida and Giorgetti. During this phase of discovery, we're seeking evidence of how Casa Vida failed the most basic safeguards—how they ignored red flags, permitted inappropriate outings, and created conditions that allowed abuse to occur. These men deserve their day in court, and every recovery program should be on notice: you have a duty to protect the vulnerable people our community entrusts to your care."
In another statement emailed to KFOX14/CBS4 on Tuesday, Baeza said the men in the lawsuit have reported the allegations against Giorgetti to the El Paso police, where it remains an ongoing investigation.
"We want the public to know that on July 25, 2024, the victims reported these allegations to the El Paso Police Department, where the matter remains under active investigation. In response to a public-records request, the City Attorney's Office confirmed that investigative records cannot be released at this time because disclosure would interfere with an ongoing investigation. We commend our clients for their courage in coming forward to both law enforcement and through the civil justice system. While we cannot comment on the specifics of the criminal investigation, we remain committed to supporting our clients through both processes and ensuring full accountability for the alleged abuse that occurred at Casa Vida," Baeza said.
KFOX14/CBS4 reached out to the El Paso police on Tuesday regarding this investigation.
Another attorney representing the men, Daniela Labinoti, said:
“Casa Vida was supposed to be a place of recovery and safety for these young men. Instead, it empowered George Gabriel Georgetti, an ordained priest and program figure who wielded religious authority and institutional power to coerce, assault, and intimidate them. These young men were groomed, coerced, and sexually abused by a priest who was given unchecked power by both the facility and its church leadership. Our clients were vulnerable, court-mandated residents who were told ‘no one would believe an addict.’ These young men showed extraordinary courage in coming forward. They are telling their stories not only to seek justice for themselves, but to protect future residents because systems that allow abuse to thrive depend on silence. The facility knew. The church leadership knew. No one stepped in. This case is about accountability. It is about institutions that failed in their most basic duty: protecting the people they were trusted to serve.”
She added, "We stand with these Plaintiffs and will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law. We believe them. And we will fight for them."
The plaintiffs are seeking damages of over $1 million.
Giorgetti is currently associated with Our Lady of the Abandoned Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite.
Giorgetti practices Catholicism Anglican Rite, and is not part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso.
KFOX14/CBS4 has reached out to the Catholic Diocese of El Paso, which stated that Giorgetti is not associated with them.
In addition, Giorgetti is listed on the Catholic Diocese of El Paso as someone with whom they are not affiliated.
However, KFOX14/CBS4 has learned that Giorgetti previously worked for the El Paso District Attorney's Office as a victim advocate for almost 10 years.
The El Paso District Attorney's Office confirmed in an email statement that he worked as a victim advocate from Nov. 8, 2004, to Aug. 29, 2014, before being terminated.
However, it is unclear why Giorgetti was terminated from his position.
KFOX14/CBS4 has previously spoken to Giorgetti in the past.
Most recently, in May 2025, after he returned from a trip to the Vatican, where he witnessed the election of Pope Leo.
Then, in 2020, when covering Georgetti's visits with COVID-19 patients.
Camp East Montana detention center under quarantine after measles outbreak
By Natalie Venegas
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center has been placed under quarantine following multiple confirmed cases of measles, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
In a statement emailed to KFOX14/CBS4, DHS confirmed the Texas Department of Health reported 14 active cases of measles at Camp East Montana, the largest immigration detention center in the nation, resulting in a quarantine.
“As of March 3, 2026, the Texas Department of Health confirmed active measles infections of 14 detainees at Camp East Montana in Texas. ICE Health Services Corps immediately took steps to quarantine and control further spread and infection, ceasing all movement within the facility and quarantining all individuals suspected of making contact with the infected," DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said.
She added, "In-person visitation is currently suspended to protect the health and safety of the detainees, the staff, and the community. Detainees still have access to attorneys and visitation through Visual Attorney Visitation booths, tablets, or telephones. Medical staff is continuing to monitor the detainees’ conditions and will take appropriate and active steps to prevent further infection. All detainees are being provided with proper medical care."
The quarantine comes after the City of El Paso Department of Public Health confirmed last week that 13 measles cases were reported at the detention facility, and less than a month after public health officials said they had also been notified of tuberculosis cases at Camp East Montana.
However, the exact number of tuberculosis cases remains unclear.
According to city officials at the time the tuberculosis and measles cases were confirmed, ICE is mandated to report notifiable conditions.
DHS said its contracted medical providers are tasked with diagnosing and treating individuals while they are in federal custody.
“It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care—including access to vaccines. This includes medical, dental, and mental health services as available, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best healthcare than many aliens have received in their entire lives," Bis said.
In an emailed statement to KFOX14/CBS4, El Paso Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, who has continually expressed concerns over the conditions at Camp East Montana, said she is aware of the quarantine and is calling for more medical access at the facility to address urgent health issues.
“Camp East Montana, which is run by Acquisition Logistics, a private corporation with no prior experience in running immigration detention facilities, is closed to visitors and attorneys until March 19th or 20th because of a measles outbreak. There are 14 active measles cases inside the facility and 112 individuals are being isolated. This is on the heels of prior COVID and tuberculosis outbreaks there. I’ve also learned the alarming news that there has been an effort to quarantine detainees with measles at our local hospitals.”
“In addition to the thousands of detainees housed at CEM, there are likely hundreds of El Pasoans employed there, along with 56 members of the Texas National Guard. During my several oversight visits, I have never seen personnel wearing masks or PPE in order to prevent the spread of communicable disease. I’ve been informed the staff is finally getting PPE, but I cannot personally confirm that is the case.”
“Despite what I was initially told about the level of medical care inside the facility, it became very clear to me early on that serious medical issues were being overlooked and, in some cases, medical attention was non-existent for urgent health issues. There has also been consistently sub-par access to hygiene, janitorial and laundry services. Whether this has been deliberate on the part of the contractor, or a result of incompetence, the end result is the same: a violation of federal standards and outright fraud.”
Escobar added that the quarantine and closure of the facility to attorneys and visitors raise concerns for detainees.
"Equally disappointing, as has been the case with every crisis inside the facility, ICE did not communicate with my office proactively about the closure of the facility to attorneys and visitors. While on one hand, it is a good thing that the measles outbreak is being taken seriously, on the other hand, I am alarmed that a preventable crisis has created conditions where detainees can only access their lawyers virtually," Escobar said.
Escobar's remarks come after it has been reported that lawyers had been turned away and barred from seeing their clients detained at the facility due to the measles outbreak.
According to the El Paso Times, which first reported the quarantine, Crystal Sandoval, a lawyer with the immigration rights group Las Americas, said she was among several others who were unable to see a client at the detention center because of the spread of infectious diseases.
KFOX14/CBS4 has reached out to Las Americas via email for comment.
Meanwhile, the quarantine also comes just a week after an independent journalist says detainees inside Camp East Montana raised concerns about medical care and living conditions after he was able to enter the immigration detention facility during recent visits.
Nick Valencia, a former CNN reporter who now works independently, previously spoke with KFOX14/CBS4 on Feb. 23, where he explained he gained access to the facility while assisting an attorney as a translator during a client visit.
Valencia said detainees described what they believe is a spreading fungal skin infection inside the facility, along with concerns about delays in receiving medical treatment.
It is unclear whether the skin infection being described was diagnosed as measles or a separate infection.
“They do ask for medical treatment, and eventually they do get it,” Valencia said. “But it takes sometimes up to two days.”
According to Valencia, detainees also described overcrowded living conditions, with dozens of people sharing the same room, where they sleep and eat in close quarters.
He said some detainees told him they were worried about becoming sick because of how closely they are housed together.
Valencia and the attorney he was translating for, Robert Held, have now said they have been banned from entering Camp East Montana.
In an interview with KFOX14/CBS4 on Monday, Held said he had been turned away from entering the facility when he tried to return over the weekend.
“It was the sixth time that I would have been in Camp East Montana except that at the gate, the guard stopped me and said that I was banned,” Held said.
He added, “They told me that because I had brought a translator and interpreter in with me last time, who was also a journalist, Nick Valencia, that because he had made public statements about what was going on, what he saw and heard inside, that we were both banned."
El Paso food banks brace for increased demand as federal shutdown threatens SNAP benefits
By: Natalie Venegas
El Paso families relying on food stamps are facing uncertainty as the federal government shutdown continues, potentially cutting off their benefits.
The government shutdown, now in its fourth week, will result in the loss of funding for several federal programs as they are expected to end on Saturday, Nov. 1, with Congress not making progress toward reopening the government.
On Nov. 1, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to approximately 42 million people, is one of the programs that will run out of funding, halting the federal food aid program until further notice.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission stated it is unclear whether recipients will receive their November benefits if the shutdown ends next month, as they await federal guidance.
In El Paso County, 62,514 households receive SNAP payments, or 21.10% of households, according to a data analysis of the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau by non-profit organization Every Texan.
According to El Paso Matters, that is an average payment of $354 per household.
These funds are used to purchase food at grocery stores, convenience stores, and farmers' markets.
The lapse in benefits could strain state and local governments, community organizations, and educational institutions, while also impacting grocers and merchants who accept SNAP payments.
KFOX14/CBS4 spoke with a local food bank to see how they are preparing for a potential increase in demand.
Brenda Estrada, the Kelly Center for Hunger Relief's community engagement director, said while the center is not sure how things will change due to the shutdown, they will continue to help as many people as they can.
"We have a fresh start program where they help individuals get them to give them more information about food sensor medecates. We can't register people." She added, "So what we do is that whatever we get, we try to manage it so everybody can get more food. But knowing that our lines are getting bigger. It is spiking a lot and so we're getting more people to do intake."
The food bank is also encouraging the community to help by donating what they can, and to continue to apply for SNAP even though payment distribution may be delayed.
"So we're still encouraging because we don't know. We really don't know what's going to happen. Hopefully, this passes through and we can keep on going on helping out people," Estrada said.
The concerns over SNAP, which is the largest food aid program in the United States, come as the shutdown is now the second-longest in U.S. history, just days away from becoming the longest in U.S. history. The longest shutdown was 35 days during President Donald Trump’s first term.
On Tuesday, governors and attorneys general from 25 states sued to stop the Nov. 1 benefits cutoff.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez was one of 23 attorneys general and three governors who filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The lawsuit challenges the USDA's decision to suspend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1.
Torrez emphasized the critical nature of SNAP, stating, "More than 450,000 New Mexicans rely on SNAP to feed their families, and I will not stand by and watch our people go hungry when Congress has already appropriated billions of dollars in emergency funding to keep food on their tables." He argued that the USDA's refusal to use available contingency funds for SNAP, while funding other programs, is both illegal and inhumane.
The coalition plans to file a temporary restraining order to reinstate benefits immediately. New Mexico, along with other states, has also sent a letter to Secretary Rollins seeking clarity on the USDA's plans for SNAP.
Joining New Mexico in the lawsuit are attorneys general from states including California, New York, and Washington, as well as the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.
New Mexico attorney general reopens Epstein Zorro Ranch investigation
By: Natalie Venegas
The New Mexico Department of Justice said on Thursday it will reopen a criminal investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch after reviewing information recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ recently released millions of documents on Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019, and those he was associated with.
In one email released by the DOJ, it claims that a former staffer at the ranch owned by Epstein had information about two women who were allegedly killed and buried at the ranch.
“Did you know somewhere in the hills outside the Zorro, two foreign girls were buried on orders of Jeffrey and Madam G?” the email reads. “Both died by strangulation during rough, fetish sex.”
Epstein had purchased the 7,560-acre property known as the Zorro Ranch in New Mexico near Stanley in 1993 from former Gov. Bruce King.
"Upon reviewing information recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice, Attorney General Raúl Torrez has ordered that the criminal investigation into allegations of illegal activity at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch be reopened," Lauren Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the New Mexico DOJ, said in an email.
The property has previously been the focus of a criminal investigation, with New Mexico closing its prior investigation into the ranch in 2019 at the request of the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York.
However, according to the New Mexico Department of Justice, "revelations outlined in previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination."
According to Rodriguez, special agents and prosecutors will seek immediate access to the complete, unredacted federal case file, adding that they also intend to work collaboratively with law enforcement partners and the Epstein Truth Commission recently established by the New Mexico Legislature.
“As with any potential criminal matter, we will follow the facts wherever they lead, carefully evaluate jurisdictional considerations, and take appropriate investigative action, including the collection and preservation of any relevant evidence that remains available,” Rodriguez said.
The reopening of the investigation comes just days after New Mexico's House of Representatives approved the creation of a bipartisan special committee to investigate the ranch.
The measure, which passed Monday with 62 votes and with no member in opposition, directs the committee, called the Truth Commission, to look into the “allegations of criminal activity” on Zorro Ranch and decide whether other “legislative action” is required.
According to the measure, the committee has the authority to “compel the attendance of witnesses” and to “issue subpoenas.”
“[T]he house of representatives is concerned that the failure to investigate the alleged criminal activity at Zorro ranch and the risk of potential consequences of that activity continue to affect the safety and welfare of the state and that continued legislative inaction threatens public confidence in state government,” the measure reads.