Man tied to 2020 murder dies after being found unconscious in Harris County jail, authorities say

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A 25-year-old man jailed for capital murder died after he was found unconscious in his cell, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

On Wednesday, the sheriff's office shared that a detention officer was delivering food to David Garner's cell at about 10:36 a.m. when he was found unconscious. Another detention officer performed CPR on Garner as the Houston Fire Department made its way to the jail.

Garner was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he died at 11:45 a.m.

SEE ALSO: Families of inmates who died in Harris County Jail plan to file lawsuit against the county

According to the sheriff's office, Garner had been in jail since his arrest on May 27, 2020, for murder.

While authorities said that evidence recovered from his cell indicated the possible presence of narcotics, his cause of death is pending an autopsy by the Harris County Medical Examiner.

"The Sheriff's Office has recently increased efforts to prevent the introduction of illegal narcotics into the jail. Those efforts include increased screening of incoming mail, jail visitors, and employees," the sheriff's office wrote.

The Texas Rangers are also conducting an independent investigation into Garner's death.

With Garner's death, Eyewitness News has counted 11 in-custody deaths behind the county's jail walls in 2023.

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