SAN MARCOS, Texas — A person held at the Hays County Jail died early Sunday, Aug. 16, after jail staff found them unresponsive during a routine overnight check, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office said.

The sheriff’s office has not released the person’s name, saying it would withhold the identity until next of kin were notified. Texas Prison News found no later public release naming the person as of late October.

What the sheriff’s office said

According to the sheriff’s office:

• Staff found the person unresponsive at about 3:26 a.m. during routine checks. The person was housed alone.
• At an earlier check, at about 3:12 a.m., the person “appeared normal.”
• Staff called emergency medical services and performed CPR, but the person could not be revived. A justice of the peace pronounced the person dead.
• The sheriff’s office said no foul play is suspected and that its preliminary investigation points to natural causes.

A cause of death has not been publicly announced.

Who is investigating

As is standard for deaths in Texas jails, the Texas Department of Public Safety is conducting a criminal investigation. The sheriff’s Office of Professional Responsibility is conducting an internal review to determine whether jail policies and procedures, including the timing of cell checks, were followed.

Texas law also requires jails to report deaths in custody to the Office of the Attorney General, which publishes custodial death reports online. Those reports list the person’s name, the circumstances and, once known, the manner and cause of death.

For families

If your loved one is held in Hays County and you have concerns about their health or safety, you can call the jail directly, contact their attorney, or file a complaint with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, the state agency that inspects county jails. Jail phone numbers, visitation and mail information are on the Hays County Jail Information Page.

Texas Prison News will update this story if the person is identified or the investigations are completed.

Sources

• KVUE — Investigation underway after inmate dies in Hays County Jail (Aug. 16, 2026)
• Hays Free Press — Hays County Sheriff’s Office investigating inmate death at the Hays County Jail (Aug. 17, 2026)
• FOX 7 Austin — Inmate dies at Hays County Jail; investigation underway
• Hays County — Sheriff’s Office news release (Aug. 17, 2026)