El Paso County Sheriff's Office releases body-worn camera footage in-custody death of Roel Contreras, San Elizario, TX
The El Paso County Sheriff's Office released available body-worn camera footage and other video related to the March 20, 2026 in-custody death of Roel Contreras in San Elizario. Investigations by the Major Crimes Unit and the Texas Rangers, along with an Internal Affairs review, found deputies acted within policy with no policy violations identified. The Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental due to acute methamphetamine toxicity, with cardiovascular disease contributing.
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Thin Blue Lenz Neutral Summary
On March 20, 2026, Roel Contreras, aged 46, died while in the custody of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office in San Elizario, Texas. The Sheriff's Office states that the Major Crimes Unit and the Texas Rangers conducted separate investigations into the incident, and the Internal Affairs Division completed an administrative review finding that deputies acted within department policy with no identified policy violations. The Office of the Medical Examiner determined that Contreras died as a result of acute methamphetamine toxicity, with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease listed as a contributing factor, and the manner of death was ruled accidental.
Agency Statement / Official Release
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is providing an update regarding the March 20, 2026 in-custody death of 46-year-old Roel Contreras. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Texas Rangers conducted separate investigations into the incident. The Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Division also conducted an administrative review and found that deputies acted within department policy and identified no policy violations related to the incident. The Office of the Medical Examiner determined that Contreras died as a result of acute methamphetamine toxicity, with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease listed as a contributing factor. The manner of death was ruled accidental. In the interest of transparency, the Sheriff’s Office is releasing available body-worn camera footage and other relevant video associated with the incident. Viewer discretion is advised. The video contains footage that some viewers may find disturbing.
What the Video Reportedly Shows
The statement notes that the video contains footage that some viewers may find disturbing.
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Public Record Packet
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| Record Type | Status | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body-worn / public-safety video | Available | YouTube release | Embedded or linked from cited source. |
| Agency press release / official statement | Available | El Paso County Sheriff's | Official release |
| DA / AG / court or investigative record | Pending | No legal record located | Legal or investigative follow-up should be added when official records are located. |
| Policy document | Pending | No policy source attached | Agency or state policy context can be linked when reviewed. |
| 911 audio / CAD log / incident report | Pending | Not located in current source packet | Mark available when these records are cited or linked. |
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