The Texas sheriff’s deputy who was accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl and threatening her mother with deportation unless she stayed quiet has died in an apparent suicide, police said.
Jose Nunez, 47, was found dead in his cell by jail officials, NBC News reported. Officials on Tuesday did not give further details beyond stating that the manner of death pointed to an apparent suicide.
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Nunez served as a detention officer with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. The 10-year veteran was arrested and charged with “super aggravated sexual assault” of a child in June.
Nunez, who was reportedly related to the mother and her daughter, allegedly threatened the two with deportation to Guatemala if they did not conceal his acts from authorities.
The mother of the girl went to a local fire station for help.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said that, despite Nunez’s death, the investigation would continue to determine whether the former officer preyed upon other victims.
“This suspect utilized to his advantage to place the mother in fear that she would be deported if she did report it,” the sheriff had said previously, adding that the “little girl now is safe.”
Salazar had previously mandated that Nunez be held in nearby Karnes County to avoid the appearance of preferential treatment from deputies.
“Nothing good can come from housing one of our own deputies in our facility,” Salazar told reporters.