BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Oralia Sandoval said she never got to say goodbye to her son, who died in the Bexar County jail.
“I need closure,” she said. “I don’t have answers to my questions.”
Dimitri Lira, 33, died Monday morning while in custody. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said it happened because of a “medical episode.” His family said they’ve been left in the dark about what happened.
“When people have loved ones that go to jail, your thought is not that … they’re going to die there,” Dimitri Lira’s sister, Vanessa Sandoval, said.
KSAT called the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office on Wednesday night. Dimitri’s cause of death is still being investigated.
Dimitri had been in jail since late July. San Antonio police arrested him for assault of a family member.
Notes from a San Antonio Police Department report detailed that Dimitri had “grabbed” and “physically assaulted” his aunt after an argument over missing property and food.
Oralia Sandoval said she was out of the house at the time. By the time she had gotten home that day, she said Dimitri Lira was already in handcuffs.
“He survived a brain tumor, and it scarred him for the rest of his life,” she said. “He had a full man’s body, but the mind of a child.”
Dimitri had intensive brain surgery when he was 15. His family said aggression was a side effect. At that time, doctors prescribed him a list of medicines to take every day. Oralia Sandoval said she called the jail and sent letters to ensure they were aware.
KSAT first reported Dimitri’s death on Monday night. A spokesperson for BCSO sent a release that said he died after that “medical episode” and that it “may have been compounded by preexisting medical conditions.”
KSAT requested an interview with Sheriff Javier Salazar after receiving the release. Instead, his spokesperson answered some questions over email.
“The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the safety and security of the facility,” the spokesperson said, in part. “Inmate medical care… is handled by University Health, our contracted medical provider.”
He later said, “While BCSO detention deputies work closely with University Health to support the well-being of every person in custody, all medical records and clinical decisions are managed exclusively by licensed medical professionals.”
KSAT asked BCSO when Dimitri had last been seen before being found unresponsive on his bunk by the unit officer at 8:40 a.m. The spokesperson said the previous two required observations were conducted at 8:28 a.m. and 8:04 a.m.
Vanessa Sandoval said the deputy who showed up at her family’s home to report Dimitri’s death said his body had already started decomposing by the time he was pronounced dead.
“His blood was already pooling at his fingertips when they saw him at 8:40 in the morning,” she said.
BCSO said they tried to administer Narcan to Dimitri when he was found.
Vanessa Sandoval said there are still unanswered questions.
“What was the medical episode that caused my brother’s death? Were there regular checks being done?” she said.
According to BCSO, the Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office is investigating his death. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Unit is also conducting an administrative review. Findings will be sent to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.
By KSAT’s count, he is the ninth inmate to die at the Bexar County jail since the start of the year.
These are the totals of deaths at the jail for the last three years:
- 13 deaths in 2022
- 18 deaths in 2023
- 13 deaths in 2024
Dimitri’s bond was set at $15,000. His next hearing was set for Oct. 28. Dimitri’s brother, Nicholas Lira, said he was working to pay the bond.
“It’s very hard,” he said.
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