A man in Tarrant County Jail custody died at a nearby hospital Sunday, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office and medical examiner records — the first death of 2026 connected with a jail and sheriff’s office that’s come under heightened scrutiny in recent years.
John Barr, 36, was found unresponsive in his cell on April 19, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Life saving measures were initiated by jail personnel and continued once jail medical personnel from John Peter Smith Hospital arrived,” the statement read.
Barr was pronounced dead around 6 p.m. that day after he was transported to the John Peter Smith Hospital emergency room, Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office records show.
His cause of death is unknown and a spokesperson for the sheriff's office told KERA News it will be determined by the county medical examiner.
Jail records show Barr was booked into the Tarrant County Jail April 16 over a parole violation. He was arrested in 2022 on a charge of possession of a controlled substance — heroin — of more than four grams and less than 200 grams, according to court records.
There have been at least 73 deaths at the jail since Sheriff Bill Waybourn took office in 2017. The number of in-custody deaths has gone down year-over-year — the jail had six deaths last year, down from nine in 2024. At its peak, the jail saw 17 deaths in 2020.
Tarrant County and Waybourn have faced criticism from the public several times throughout the years over jail deaths, with details from specific cases raising concerns from families and advocacy groups.
The last jail-related death was 40-year-old Shuntae Broadus in December, who died at the hospital after she was found unresponsive in her jail cell. Her cause of death was still pending as of Tuesday.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's Tarrant County Accountability Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
