COUNTY TEXAS WATCH

Custodial Death Record

Milton Lavun Austin

Cooke County, Texas - 1/20/2026, 5:00 AM

Record summary

NameMilton Lavun Austin
Date of death1/20/2026, 5:00 AM
AgencyUnknown Agency
CountyCooke County

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Official report

The state custodial death report is embedded below; it holds the agency narrative and all submitted details.

Official Report Content (Extracted for AI Readability)

The full text of the Texas Attorney General Custodial Death Report is reproduced below for searchability and AI accessibility.

CUSTODIAL DEATH REPORT Agency Information CDR Number: 26-56-PF Version Type: AMENDED Report Date: 1/23/2026 9:06 AM Status: Submitted Agency/Facility Information Grayson County Agency Name: Agency Address: 200 S. Crockett Sheriff's Dept. Agency City: Sherman Agency State: TX Agency Zip: 75090 Director Information Director Salutation: Sheriff Director First Name: William Director Middle Name: Director Last Name: Bennie Reporter Name: Chad Brinlee Reporter Email: [email protected] Decedent Information Identity of Deceased Custodial Death Report :: Page 1 of 6 --- PAGE BREAK --- First Name: Milton Middle Name: Lavun Last Name: Austin Suffix: Jr. Date of Birth: 4/18/1957 Sex: Male Black or African Race: American Age At Time Of Death: 68 Date/Time of Custody (arrest, incarceration) (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Date/Time of Custody or 2/24/2024 4:46 PM Incident: Date/Time of Death (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): 1/19/2026 11:00 Death Date and Time: PM Manner / Cause of Death Has a medical examiner or coroner conducted an evaluation to determine a cause of death? Medical Examiner/Coroner Yes, results Evaluation?: pending What was the manner of death? (select only one) Manner of Death: Natural Custodial Death Report :: Page 2 of 6 --- PAGE BREAK --- Medical Cause of Death: Medical Cause of Death: Natural - Cancer Diagnosis Had the decedent been receiving treatment for the medical condition that caused the death after admission to your jail's jurisdiction? Medical Treatment: Yes If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, who caused the death? Who caused the death?: Not applicable If a weapon caused the death, what type of weapon caused the death? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of weapon that caused Not Applicable death?: Was the cause of death the result of a pre-existing medical condition or did the decedent develop the condition after admission? Pre existing medical Could not be condition?: determined If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, what was the means of death? Not applicable, cause of death was Means of Death: illness/natural cause Location / Custody Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 3 of 6 --- PAGE BREAK --- Where did the event causing the death occur? Street Address: 1900 O'Neal Street City: Gainesville County: Cooke Zip: 76240 What location category best describes where the event causing the death occurred? Location Category: Other, specify Other Location Category: Nursing Home What type of custody/facility was the Decedent in at the time of death: Type of Custody: Private Facility Specific type of custody/facility: Specific Type of Custody/Facility: Hospital/Infirmary What was the time and date of the deceased's entry into the law enforcement facility where the death occurred (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): 12/24/2025 12:00 Entry Date Time: AM Where did the death occur? Death Location: Medical facility General Information Did any other law enforcement agencies respond to calls for service related to this incident? Custodial Death Report :: Page 4 of 6 --- PAGE BREAK --- Other Agencies Respond?: Yes What were the most serious offense(s) with which the deceased was (or would have been) charged with at the time of death? Offense 1: Murder Offense 2: Offense 3: Were the Charges:: Filed What were the types of charges or reason for contact? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Violent Crime Type of Offense: Against Persons At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent display or use a weapon? Decedent display/use of Yes, mark all that weapons: apply Decedent Display or Use Displayed other Weapon Details: weapon, specify: Specify Weapon Displayed: Knife At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Yes (select all that Attempt to Injure Others?: apply) Ways Decedent Attempted To Killed civilian(s) or Injure Others: other inmate(s) Custodial Death Report :: Page 5 of 6 --- PAGE BREAK --- At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Appear intoxicated (alcohol or Unknown Make suicidal statements?: No drugs): Exhibit any mental health Unknown Exhibit any medical problems?: Yes problems?: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Barricade self or initiate Resist being handcuffed or No No standoff?: arrested?: Physically attempt/assault Gain possession of officer's No No officer(s): weapon: Verbally threaten other(s) Escape or attempt to Unknown No including law: escape/flee custody: Attempt gain possession No officer's weapon: Was the deceased under restraint in the time leading up to the death or the events causing the death? Under Restraint: No Summary of Incident Summary of How the Death Occurred: (max. 30,000 characters) Summary: On December 7, 2025, the inmate was hospitalized at Texoma Medical Center following a cancer diagnosis. On December 24, 2025, he was transferred to a nursing facility, and on December 28, 2025, he was placed on hospice care. He subsequently died of natural causes related to stage IV cancer and dementia. Custodial Death Report :: Page 6 of 6

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