Inmate dies in Harris County Jail, marking 6 inmate deaths since start of 2026, according to HCSO

Saturday, May 23, 2026 8:53PM

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Authorities say a Harris County Jail inmate died on Thursday, marking the sixth inmate death in the county this year.

According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, 29-year-old Claude McKoy was taken to St. Joseph Hospital after experiencing an unknown medical emergency. McKoy was later pronounced dead at 7:56 p.m., officials said.

McKoy's cause of death will be determined by an autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, officials said, adding that his death was reported to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

Authorities said McKoy had been in custody at the Harris County Jail for 407 days on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

HCSO said that the Texas Rangers are investigating the death in accordance with state law. The Sheriff's Office Internal Affairs Division is also investigating to determine whether all applicable policies and procedures were followed, which is standard after the death of an inmate, officials explained.

Records show this incident marks the sixth inmate death for Harris County since the start of 2026, with the first two occurring in January and three in April.

FIRST REPORT OF 2026: Harris County Jail reports first inmate death of 2026, according to HCSO

In 2025, those records show there were twenty deaths, which is double the number from 2024, when ten inmates died.

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