Tarrant County Jail Deaths

Tarrant County commissioners ended the two-year contract with Recana Recruiting and Staffing Solutions after 7 months.

John Barr died while in custody at the county jail last month. His cause of death is still pending.

Anthony Johnson Jr.'s death was ruled a homicide at Tarrant County Jail after a jailer kneeled on his back. two years ago. His family is still waiting for a trial date and pending civil lawsuit.

Texas is in the process of planning for the future of its state hospitals. Some advocates and families said Texas needs to improve capacity and access as demand for services grows.

Shawn Fraraccio, 26, was moved to a living facility in Mexia on April 14 after a demand for this transfer from his mother and the public.

The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, which runs the jail, has faced scrutiny for the number of in-custody deaths since Bill Waybourn took office.

Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn gave a briefing to commissioners about the statistics related to Tarrant County Jail inmates in 2025.

Anthony Johnson Jr. died in Tarrant County Jail custody in 2024 after officers pepper sprayed him in the face. Rafael Moreno, one of the officers on trial, knelt on his back for 90 seconds.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in an opinion the Texas Commission on Jail Standards has the authority to hire an independent investigator to look into all custody deaths. The opinion is in response to a letter sent by Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells last year.

The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office said both Carlos Romero and Victor Castillo were back in custody as of Tuesday afternoon. The two incidents were not related.