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Texas City death: What happened to 45-year-old Rego Ornelas?

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Published  October 31, 2024 9:50pm CDT
Texas City
FOX 26 Houston

Man dies in Texas City police custody

FOX 26 Reporter Abigail Dye spoke to the family, who said they want answers about what happened.

The Brief

    • Rego Ornelas died while in police custody, and his family is seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding his death.
    • The family has expressed frustration with the lack of communication from authorities regarding the incident.
    • The Texas Rangers are investigating the in-custody death, and the family is awaiting the results of the investigation.

TEXAS CITY, Texas - What happened to 45-year-old Rego Ornelas? His family is determined to find out.

"I’m angry. I’m frustrated. I’m sad because he’s gone. And he should not be gone. He should be here with us," said his mother, Rachel Ornelas.

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Rachel says an "inside source" in the county told her Monday that Rego was dead, and that the family hasn’t gotten any kind of official notification from authorities.

Texas City police said in a press release they arrested Rego at the Texas City biosphere at 6:23 a.m. after an employee found him in a secure area that was closed to the public.

Rego Ornelas

It says they took him to the Galveston County Jail where the jail wouldn’t take him and "required a medical fit for incarceration."

The release says he was then taken by ambulance to UTMB where he later died.

"It’s only right to let the family know," said Rachel.

"Nobody has reached out to us, a phone call, a letter, anything," said Reva Rodriguez, Rego’s older sister.

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She says her brother leaves behind two children and was set to start a new job on Wednesday.

"He is somebody, and we are his voice," she said.

On Thursday, Rachel submitted an open records request with the Texas City Police Department asking for body camera, phone logs, and other relevant records concerning her brother’s arrest and death.

FOX 26 reached out to Texas City Police about the incident. We have yet to hear back.

The Department of Public Safety confirms they are investigating and will turn the results over to the Galveston County District Attorney.

The DA responded to our request for information saying, 

"The Texas Rangers are conducting an investigation independent of the Texas City Police Department and the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office regarding the in-custody death of Rego Ornelas. We cannot comment further because this case is currently under investigation."

Rego’s family is raising money for his funeral. If you’re interested in donating, you can do so here.