Colombian man dies in ICE custody at jail in central Missouri

Nathan Pilling, The Kansas City Star on Apr 23, 2025

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A Colombian man being held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at a local jail in central Missouri died earlier this month, the agency said.

The man, Brayan Rayo-Garzon, died April 8 after he was found unresponsive at the Phelps County Jail, in Rolla — which is about 100 miles west of St. Louis — the agency said.

ICE said Rayo-Garzon entered the country without authorization near San Ysidro, California, in November 2023.

Rayo-Garzon was being held in ICE custody after an immigration judge ordered he be deported to Colombia in June 2024, the agency said.

ICE said he was previously arrested for shoplifting in 2024. The agency then arrested him in March after another arrest for credit card fraud by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, it said.

Asked about the circumstances and cause of death, ICE spokesperson Alethea Smock told The Star in an email that no other information was available about the death.

“Consistent with ICE protocols, the appropriate components were notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility,” ICE said in a news release. “Additionally, ICE notified the next of kin.”

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