TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains information about suicide, which may be triggering to some.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Texas has suffered a disproportionate amount of loss. Unlike officers who have been killed in the line of duty, these losses have been self-inflicted. Over the course of six weeks, four of the department’s deputies have died by suicide. The Texas deputies were both current and former employees. The deaths have raised questions about the department, the individuals who lost their lives, causes, any potential connections between their deaths, and mental health issues among public servants.
On March 19, 2025, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez shared an announcement via Facebook. “Today, we learned of a Harris County Sheriff’s Office retiree who died from an apparent suicide. This makes three for us within the span of a week.” The retiree he was referencing was 61-year-old William Bozeman. He had served as a deputy sheriff for 24 years, according to his obituary. Since then another deputy has been added to that number, bringing the number up to four within a six week period, ABC 13 reports.
Before Bozeman, the Texas community learned of the passing of Deputy Christina Kohler. In early March, Kohler, a 37-year-old mother of two, was reported missing. On March 13, her body was found. She’d served as a deputy for 20 years. A medical examiner ruled her death a suicide. Three days later, retired deputy Maria Vasquez, who left the sheriff’s office in December, also died by apparent suicide.
On February 6, a medical examiner ruled that the 58-year-old former deputy Louis Nguyễn Kỳ Long also died by suicide. Long, an immigrant from Vietnam, “placed his devotions to country, family, and friends,” his obituary reads. He is survived by one adult son.
Jose Lopez, president of the Harris County Deputies’ Organization FOP #39, said the string of deaths has caught the department 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,” Lopez said referencing the mental health concerns within the department.
Lopez, who’s known two of the deceased officers for over two decades, has been helping other deputies process their grief along with director of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Behavioral Health Division Dr. Thomas McNeese. “These last few weeks have been difficult for our staff and the sheriff’s office as a whole,” McNeese said. “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 public is suspicious about the frequency and nature of these deaths, so close to one another. When the department shared news of Kohler and Vasquez’s deaths on Facebook, the comment section was full of pressing questions and theories.
“Within days of each other is not a coincidence! Something’s not right about this,” one user wrote. “What happened to these two beautiful ladies?” another user inquired. “I have seen [the] Facebook post but no story.”
Some directed their anger and confusion to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office directly. “It’s time to look into WHY they are going through this within the SAME County,” another user demanded. “Please look into it & just don’t send your condolences. God bless their Family through this incredible loss. Sending prayers.”
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
