Inmate Dies Day After Being Booked Into Travis County Jail

TRAVIS COUNTY, TX — An inmate at the Travis County Jail died after being found unresponsive in his cell on Sunday, officials said.

Eloy Villanueva, 43, of Austin was found unresponsive in his jail cell at around noon on Sunday, jail officials said. EMS medics were dispatched to the scene about 10 minutes later and performed CPR, but the inmate was pronounced dead by 12:51 p.m., Travis County Sheriff's Office officials said.

"TCSO detectives from the Homicide unit and Internal Affairs unit responded as part of routine protocols," officials said in a news advisory. "The Texas Rangers will also participate in the investigation as part of agency protocol."

TCSO officials said a report into the cause and manner of death will be not be finalized by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office for several weeks, pending toxicology reports. No foul play is suspected, they added.

Villanueva had been booked into the Travis County Jail on July 8 after being charged with obstruction, criminal trespass and public intoxication, officials said.

The man's death marked the second time in as many months an inmate has died after being incarcerated at the same jail, located at 500 W. 10th St. On June 19, Herman Titus, 21, was found in critical condition at the jail after having been booked there on May 23, officials said.

Titus originally was booked into the Travis County Jail on May 23, charged with intoxication assault and a parole violation. Like Villanueva's death, no foul play was suspected in that case either, officials said at the time. Titus was transported to South Austin Hospital but died shortly after being admitted, according to sheriff's officials.

And in June 2016, as Justin Daniel Dominguez, 24, died after being found unresponsive in the Travis County Jail. Life-saving measures were taken in an effort to revive Dominguez before he was rushed to the hospital, but he died about an hour later, officials said at the time.

Dominguez, who was a resident of Austin, had been arrested by the Austin Police Department on June 10 at 7:05 p.m., charged with assault with injury-family violence, according to a sheriff's spokesman.

>>> Eloy Villanueva booking photo courtesy Travis County Sheriff's Office