A protest was held in front of the Duval County Courthouse Wednesday, June 25, in honor of Eric Perez.
Eric died on June 19th while in custody of the Duval County Sheriff’s Office. Hours after Eric was laid to rest, his family and friends are seeking justice.
According to Duval County Sheriff Romeo Ramirez, the 4O-year-old Benavides man was in custody for public intoxication after deputies responded to an emergency call in Realitos where his father lives.
Ramirez said Eric was disorderly and verbally abusive to his family and using vulgar language towards the deputies. He was released hours later - as per law - but refused to leave the jail, Ramirez said.
Ramirez said Eric was re-arrested about an hour later when he became disorderly.
Eric was found unresponsive in his jail cell and given life-saving measurers before he was taken to the Alice hospital where he died.
Leaving behind a 21-year-old daughter, Hailey Perez.
She said it’s been hard to deal with her father’s death. She and a group of family and friends walked around the courthouse and stood at the front of the courthouse with signs asking for justice and with pictures of Eric just hours after his funeral.
Hailey was she is his only voice and wants justice for her father. Eric is described as a loving and attentive father who was died too young.
Her message to the sheriff and the community is that “He failed my dad in so many ways. I mean there wasn’t even a reason to book my dad. I just want my dad to get justice and for everyone who failed him to get what they deserve.”
Texas Rangers are investigating.
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