What we know about the four Texas deputies who all committed suicide within a period of six weeks.
Deputy Christina Kohler was sadly found dead on March 13 aged 37 only a day after she was reported missing. A medical examiner later ruled her death a suicide. Constable Mark Herman wrote: “Her name, her life, absolutely deserves to be remembered for her commitment to our profession.”
Only three days after her death, HSCO Deputy officer Maria Vasquez ended her life, only a few months after retiring. She had only left her role in December 2024. She reportedly died in her home in Houston.
At the start of last week, former deputy William Bozeman was found dead under similar circumstances.
On February 26, ex-sheriff deputy Long Nguyen has also died at the age of 58, by suicide.
Director of the Trauma and Resilience Center at UTHealth Houston, Dr. Ron Acierno, shared that there is a stigma about law enforcement officers asking for help: “Much like the veteran community and the active-duty community, the idea is to tough it out. Or whether it’s due to the fact that they just didn’t know the help was available, or didn’t think it could help,”.
He added: “We do have effective treatments. They aren’t fun. They aren’t comfortable. They’re very action-oriented. . .The focus is on changing what you do to change how you feel.”
“Reaching out. Getting some help. Doing something to be able to not stay stuck is really important,” he continued.
President of the Harris County Deputies’ Organization FOP #39, Jose Lopez told KTRK-TV: “It caught a lot of us by surprise.
“One is too many. Two? Three? Yes, it’s definitely devastating.”
“It hits very close to home and it’s a reminder to us how fragile life is and it’s also a reminder we do need to look out for each other. We do need to take care of each other,” he said.
Those working in law enforcement are 54% more likely to die by suicide, according to the president of Houston Police Officers’ Union, Douglas Griffiths.
A paper obtained by ABC News in 2024 shared that 1,287 LEO’s and correction officers had taken their own lives between 2016 and 2022.
The director of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Behavioral Health Division, Dr Thomas McNeese explained: “[This] profession, unfortunately, takes a toll on people. And, over time, the longer you’re in it, the more of a toll it takes, and it changes people,”
“The average citizen I think in a lifetime may be exposed to two — I think is the statistic — critical incidents, whereas one of our officers might be exposed to that on a shift.”
Our thoughts are with their loved ones, RIP.
