By Sarah Calams
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Another Texas correctional officer has died from COVID-19 complications.
KWTX.com reported that Officer IV Ruben Martinez, 48, died Sunday after testing postive for the novel coronavirus. Martinez, a two-year Texas Department of Criminal Justice veteran, was assigned to the López State Jail in Edinburg. He was admitted to the hospital on June 19 after developing complications.
“One of the core values of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is courage. That is what Officer Martinez showed all of us,” Bryan Collier, TDCJ executive director, said. “The thoughts and prayers of the entire Texas Department of Criminal Justice are with Officer Martinez’s family and friends.”
Senior Warden Juan Garcia said Martinez provided an “unwavering service to the López State Jail.”
“Officer Martinez was a family man and always had a positive attitude ... he was always there to lend a fellow co-worker a hand. Officer Martinez is greatly missed,” Garcia said.