Nicaraguan Man's Death at Texas Detention Camp Reported as Suicide

911 records show staff found detainee Victor Manuel Diaz unconscious with pants tied around his neck

Jan. 28, 2026 at 7:55pm

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A 36-year-old Nicaraguan man named Victor Manuel Diaz died at a troubled Texas detention camp called Camp East Montana just days after being detained by immigration agents in Minnesota. According to a 911 call and records, camp staff found Diaz unconscious with his pants tied around his neck in an apparent suicide attempt. Diaz's death was at least the third at the camp, which has faced allegations of violence, abuse, and neglect.

Why it matters

This incident highlights ongoing concerns about the conditions and treatment of detainees at the Camp East Montana facility, which has faced multiple deaths and allegations of mistreatment. The circumstances around Diaz's death, including whether there were any contributing factors that led him to attempt suicide, are still under investigation.

The details

On January 14, a camp health administrator named Luis Gonzalez called 911 to report that guards had found Diaz unconscious with his pants tied around his neck. Paramedics arrived but were unable to revive him. Diaz's family and their attorney are suspicious of the suicide claim, noting that Diaz was not depressed and was set to be deported back to Nicaragua to reunite with his family. The camp has faced previous allegations of violence, with one earlier death ruled a homicide.

  • On January 6, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Diaz in Minneapolis and sent him to the Camp East Montana facility in Texas.
  • On January 14, camp staff found Diaz unconscious in his room in an apparent suicide attempt.
  • On January 15, Diaz's family in Nicaragua received a call from ICE informing them of his death.

The players

Victor Manuel Diaz

A 36-year-old Nicaraguan man who died at the Camp East Montana detention facility in Texas.

Luis Gonzalez

A health administrator at the Camp East Montana detention facility who called 911 to report Diaz's suicide attempt.

Randall Kallinen

An attorney representing Diaz's family, who is suspicious of the suicide claim and calling for a full investigation.

Carlos Morales

The board president of Texas Nicaraguan Community, a nonprofit that helped Diaz's family raise money to repatriate his remains to Nicaragua.

Camp East Montana

A troubled detention facility in Texas that has faced multiple detainee deaths and allegations of violence, abuse, and neglect.

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What they’re saying

“Even if it is suicide, was there something that happened to him that drove him to suicide? There still has to be an investigation.”

— Randall Kallinen, Attorney for Diaz's family

“They were doing rounds and they just found him with his pants tied up to his neck, I believe.”

— Luis Gonzalez, Health administrator at Camp East Montana

What’s next

Federal authorities have not yet released the findings of an autopsy on Diaz's death, and the family's attorney says it could take months for those results to be made public.

The takeaway

This tragic incident underscores the ongoing concerns about the treatment and conditions of detainees at the troubled Camp East Montana facility, which has faced multiple deaths and allegations of abuse. The circumstances around Diaz's death remain under investigation, but his family and advocates are demanding answers and accountability.