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Residents demand reinvestigation of 1970s jail deaths, say booking records missing
Summary
Several Pasadena residents used public comment at the May 20 City Council meeting to allege missing arrest records and urge reinvestigation of deaths in the city jail from the 1970s and 1990s; the council took no formal action during the meeting.
Several residents used the public-comment period at the May 20 Pasadena City Council meeting to demand accountability and a reinvestigation of deaths in the city jail dating to the 1970s and 1990s, saying booking photos and files are missing and alleging official misconduct.
The comments centered on the 1976 custody death of Daniel (Danny) Lingstevez and later deaths, with speakers urging the council to reopen records and investigate inconsistencies in official reports. "I am Eric Sanchez. I'm here again to demand accountability for the death of Daniel Lingstevez in your jail's custody on 05/02/1976," said Eric Sanchez, a resident, and listed discrepancies he said appear in reports and affidavits.
Richard Wayne Collins, who identified himself as a person seeking his own arrest records, said the city denied that certain booking photos and files exist. "I was told there's no responsive record. Not only that, but I was told that your city has no obligation to tell me what happened to it," Collins said. He said a booking photo he remembers from 1981 was not produced in response to his request.
Other speakers pressed similar themes. Steven Alvarez said the community "needs peace" and accused city leadership of ignoring the allegations. Robert Jeter questioned performance and records-handling by city officials and raised broader concerns about transparency and staff conduct.
Speakers cited autopsy reports, newspaper accounts and settled lawsuits as context for their calls. They urged the council to explain missing records and to take action to clarify historical investigations; however, no council motion to reopen or refer the matter to staff, outside counsel, or another agency was made during the meeting.
Council members did not announce any immediate follow-up at the meeting. The public comments closed without formal direction from the council on reinvestigation or records retrieval.
Community members seeking records or further review should submit a Texas Public Information Act request or contact the Pasadena City Secretary for guidance on records access; no additional steps were directed by the council during the May 20 meeting.
