Family of man who died in ICE custody wants his body returned to Kentucky
A former Mount Sterling man died in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently after he was detained for 18 hours.
Santos Eliberto Beanegas Reyes, 42, died Sept. 17 while in ICE custody at a New York jail, according to a news release from the agency.
Reyes was a resident of Mt. Sterling for 10 years, working in construction, farming and landscaping, his former partner, Mary Diaz, of Lexington, said in an interview with the Herald-Leader.
Reyes and Diaz met while farming. They were together for six years and shared a child. Reyes last lived in Lexington in 2018, Diaz said, before he was deported.
According to ICE, Reyes, a Honduran citizen, entered the county illegally four times.
The fourth time was in New York City, where he was arrested Sept. 17 by federal agents and detained in Nassau County Jail.
Diaz said that Reyes was outside a convenience store when ICE agents approached him, called him by name, and took him into custody.
In a Sept. 23 news release, ICE reported Reyes died from liver failure caused by alcoholism.
ICE said Reyes went through medical intake, per protocol, and was cleared for detention within two hours of arrival at the jail. Less than 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in his unit, officials said.
His cause of death remains under investigation.
Reyes’ sister-in-law, Brandee Contreras Rivera, is raising money to return Reyes’ body to Kentucky, and then Honduras, for a burial, according to a GoFundMe page.
A service will be held in New York City, where Reyes has other family. Diaz hopes to raise enough money to bring him back to Kentucky, too, so their 10-year-old daughter can say goodbye.
“My 10-year-old is trying to think of ways to come up with $6,000,” Diaz cried.
The family has set out donation jars in stores and conducting raffles. Diaz said if they can’t come up with the money by next week, Reyes’ body will return to Honduras.
Rivera described Reyes as an “amazing person” and “good-hearted” in an interview with WAVE 3.
Diaz and Rivera noted that Reyes did drink alcohol, but she described him as “healthy.”
This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 2:18 PM.
