Four current and former Harris County sheriff's officers have died by suicide in the past six weeks.
In early 2025, Harris County, Texas, was struck by a wave of tragedy as four current and former deputies from the Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) took their own lives within a six-week span. The heartbreaking sequence began on February 6 with the death of former deputy Long Nguyen, 58. This was followed by the suicides of former deputy William Bozeman and retired deputy Maria Vasquez in mid-March, and current deputy Christina Kohler, 37, on March 13. Kohler had been reported missing before her body was found that same day, with the county medical examiner determining her death to be a suicide. These events have cast a spotlight on the severe mental health struggles faced by those in law enforcement.
The HCSO and local leaders have grappled with the weight of these losses. Jose Lopez, president of the Harris County Deputies' Organization, voiced the collective shock and grief, emphasizing that even a single loss is unacceptable. Dr. Thomas McNeese, head of the HCSO Behavioral Health Division, pointed to the relentless emotional strain of the job, where officers routinely confront trauma that can build up over years. Established in 2020, the division offers peer support and mental health services, yet these recent tragedies have amplified calls for stronger measures to combat the elevated suicide risk in law enforcement—a risk studies show is 54% higher than that of the general public.
The mathematical chances of four Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies dying by suicide in a six-week period, under typical conditions, is approximately 0.0000986%, or 1 in 1,014,000. This cluster raised significant concern, prompting discussions about mental health support in law enforcement. Similarly, in 2024, Suffolk County, New York, saw four officers die by suicide in four weeks, highlighting that such clusters, while rare, do occur and often signal underlying issues like trauma, stress, or inadequate support systems.
For anyone in crisis, support is accessible 24/7 through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), providing free and confidential assistance.