First death in Harris County Jail in 2023 confirmed

Driving the news: Jacoby Pillow, 31, died Tuesday in Harris County Jail shortly after he was to be released on a $100 personal bond.

What happened: Pillow was arrested on Jan. 1 for allegedly trespassing on private property and was charged with a misdemeanor, according to Harris County court records.

• Pillow was in the process of being released around 1am Tuesday when he reportedly "assaulted a detention officer," which resulted in an additional charge, according to the sheriff's office.
• "Jail staff used force to restrain Pillow," and he returned to his cell after he was cleared by medical personnel, according to the sheriff's office.
• He was found unresponsive in his cell later that morning and died in the hospital shortly after.

The big picture: The jail continues to struggle with overcrowding issues, with 9,940 people in its custody and no sustainable solutions in sight.

What they're saying: "The same issues we were dealing with in 2022, we're dealing with in 2023. The only thing that's changed is the calendar," sheriff's office spokesperson Jason Spencer told the Houston Chronicle.

What's next: The Houston Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation, the sheriff's office is working on an internal investigation, and an autopsy to determine the cause of death is pending.