STE. GENEVIEVE, MO – A 34-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico reportedly died by suspected suicide while housed at the Ste. Genevieve County Jail in Missouri earlier in October.
The individual was transferred into Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody following a public intoxication arrest in Fetus, Missouri, in late September, with officials saying the individual used a bed sheet inside the Ste. Genevieve County holding cell to carry out the act.
Leo Cruz-Silva had a history of illegal entry into the United States dating back to at least June 2010 when the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee arrested him for disorderly conduct.
ICE would later encounter Cruz-Silva at the Tipton County Jail following his arrest, with an immigration judge ordering him removed on July 14th, 2011, following immigration proceedings.
However, Cruz-Silva apparently wasn’t present for his removal hearing, so the adjudication was conducted in absentia.
ICE would come into contact with Cruz-Silva again in March 2017, after he was booked into the Franklin County Jail in Tennessee a month earlier for a probation violation. Cruz-Silva was taken into ICE custody on March 23rd, 2017, and was again ordered removed in April 2017.
Authorities aren’t sure precisely when Cruz-Silva illegally reentered the country, but an encounter with Border Patrol on September 26th, 2020, resulted in Cruz-Silva being arrested and repatriated back to Mexico once again.
Nearly five years later to the day following his past deportation, Fetus Police in Missouri arrested Cruz-Silva on September 30th, 2025, for disorderly conduct, leading to his transfer into ICE custody on October 1st.
A notice of intent to reinstate Cruz-Silva’s previous removal order was served to the individual following his transfer into ICE custody and he was subsequently booked into the Ste. Genevieve County Jail to await his official proceedings.
On October 4th, jail staff had noticed Cruz-Silva “with a sheet tied around his neck in what looked like a suicide attempt,” according to officials.
Life-saving efforts were performed in an attempt to resuscitate Cruz-Silva, with jail staff immediately performing CPR before paramedics arrived to continue rendering aid, but the individual was unfortunately declared deceased by 3:47 p.m. on October 4th.
The individual was transferred into Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody following a public intoxication arrest in Fetus, Missouri, in late September, with officials saying the individual used a bed sheet inside the Ste. Genevieve County holding cell to carry out the act.
Leo Cruz-Silva had a history of illegal entry into the United States dating back to at least June 2010 when the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee arrested him for disorderly conduct.
ICE would later encounter Cruz-Silva at the Tipton County Jail following his arrest, with an immigration judge ordering him removed on July 14th, 2011, following immigration proceedings.
However, Cruz-Silva apparently wasn’t present for his removal hearing, so the adjudication was conducted in absentia.
ICE would come into contact with Cruz-Silva again in March 2017, after he was booked into the Franklin County Jail in Tennessee a month earlier for a probation violation. Cruz-Silva was taken into ICE custody on March 23rd, 2017, and was again ordered removed in April 2017.
Authorities aren’t sure precisely when Cruz-Silva illegally reentered the country, but an encounter with Border Patrol on September 26th, 2020, resulted in Cruz-Silva being arrested and repatriated back to Mexico once again.
Nearly five years later to the day following his past deportation, Fetus Police in Missouri arrested Cruz-Silva on September 30th, 2025, for disorderly conduct, leading to his transfer into ICE custody on October 1st.
A notice of intent to reinstate Cruz-Silva’s previous removal order was served to the individual following his transfer into ICE custody and he was subsequently booked into the Ste. Genevieve County Jail to await his official proceedings.
On October 4th, jail staff had noticed Cruz-Silva “with a sheet tied around his neck in what looked like a suicide attempt,” according to officials.
Life-saving efforts were performed in an attempt to resuscitate Cruz-Silva, with jail staff immediately performing CPR before paramedics arrived to continue rendering aid, but the individual was unfortunately declared deceased by 3:47 p.m. on October 4th.
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Comments
2025-10-10T18:38-0400 | Comment by: Jon
Oh, well. Life goes on... until it doesn't.
2025-10-10T19:52-0400 | Comment by: Steven
Why did he live long enough to commit suicide?
2025-10-11T18:39-0400 | Comment by: Melvin
Unfortunate that he chose the path of suicide, but the only way to prevent that is to strip everything out of the cell and give him minimal clothing that couldn't be used to hang himself. However if determined he could still find a way.