Family of Man Who Died in Police Custody: He Didn't Kill Himself

Francisco Vasquez, formerly of Downers Grove, died Aug. 8 in police custody in Texas in an apparent suicide by asphyxiation, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office reported, but his family doesn’t believe he killed himself.

Joanna Soto, Vasquez’s daughter and an alumna of Downers Grove North High School, said their family lived in Illinois for 20 years before they moved to Leander, Texas, and they have friends and relatives in the area who share the same unanswered questions about Vasquez’s death.

Vasquez was found unconscious at 5 p.m. Aug. 8 in a holding cell in the booking area of the Williamson County Jail in Georgetown, Texas, according to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

The jail’s medical staff tried to save Vasquez and called EMS, the office reported. He was taken to Seton-Williamson County hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:06 p.m.

An autopsy was ordered, and the Texas Rangers and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death. The preliminary investigation said Vasquez died in an apparent suicide by asphyxiation, the office reported.

Joanna Soto said her father was selfless, always putting others before his own needs. She said he was passionate about his job of 30 years, which took them from California to Illinois to Texas. He loved his wife, his four children and “he lived his life for his four grandchildren,” all under the age of 2.

He’d made plans. Sunday was the birthday of his son-in-law, Russell Soto, and they were planning to go to dinner. He had plans for Christmas. He was looking forward to his son’s February wedding.

Cedar Park police arrested Vasquez on the day of his death on a drunken driving charge. Russell Soto was there at the time of the arrest, and he said Vazquez could walk fine and he wasn’t belligerently drunk.

Joanna Soto said her father was cooperative, and he did everything police told him to do.

“He doesn’t like confrontation,” she said. “He wouldn’t try to fight with a cop. He raised us to do what we’re told because that’s how he is.”

Joanna Soto said her father wasn’t given a phone call once he reached the Williamson County Jail.

She said her family called the jail at 7, 8, 9 and 10:30 p.m. Aug. 8 to check on Vasquez. Each time, they were told he was sleeping, he had eaten or he was sitting in the jail. He was supposed to go before a judge to set bail.

At 10:45 p.m., an officer knocked on the door of the family’s home in Leander to tell them Vasquez was dead, and they could call a detective for more information. Joanna Soto said they had to wait an hour and a half for an answer, and at 12:06 a.m., the detective picked up the phone and spoke with the family.

“When they arrived at the hospital, why didn’t they call to inform us?” Joanna Soto asked. “We have no answers and the detective said they’re doing everything they can. When we called at 7 p.m. and they said he was sleeping, what’s the point of saying he’s sleeping when he’s dead?”

Joanna Soto said Monday at 2 p.m. that the family hadn’t yet seen Vasquez’s body, and they hadn’t received his clothes or belongings. They also hadn’t heard the results of the autopsy.

“I’m not the type of person go after money, I just want to know what happened to my dad,” she said. “If something happened, tell us. We’re going to have to deal with this the rest of our lives. Give us that one little piece.”

Patch has submitted a Freedom of Information request for the arrest report from Cedar Park police, and calls to the medical examiner’s office for autopsy information have not yet been returned.

Photos courtesy of Joanna Soto.