Man dies on Rikers Island, marking ninth DOC death this year

A 36-year-old man was found dead on Rikers Island on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. AP file photo by Seth Wenig

By Jacob Kaye

A 36-year-old man died on Rikers Island on Tuesday, marking the ninth time someone has died in Department of Correction custody this year.

Cesar Medero Curet was found in his bed experiencing a medical emergency early Tuesday morning inside the Robert N. Davoren Center on the jail complex, according to the DOC. He was pronounced dead around 6 a.m., the agency said.

The DOC did not provide any additional information about the circumstances surrounding Medero Curet’s death.

“The Department mourns the loss of Mr. Medero Curet who died while in our care,” Stanley Richards, the DOC’s commissioner, said in a statement. “The safety and well-being of everyone who lives and works with us will always be our highest priority. This profound loss weighs heavily on us all.”

“We extend our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones,” he added.

The DOC said it had notified a slew of oversight bodies charged with monitoring the DOC, including the federal remediation manager, federal monitor, the Board of Correction, the New York State Attorney General’s Office, and others.

The agency also notified the New York District Attorney’s office, which had brought attempted murder charges against Medero Curet in March 2025.

Medero Curet, who had been held on Rikers Island for around 20 months while awaiting his trial, was next scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 16.

“We mourn the passing of Cesar Gabriel Medero Curet, and our hearts are with his family, friends, and loved ones as they face this devastating loss,” said a spokesperson for the Legal Aid Society, which was representing Medero Curet in his criminal case. “At this time, we have no information about the circumstances of his death or what happened in his final moments.”

“We demand a swift, independent, and impartial investigation into Mr. Medero Curet’s death,” they added. “His family and counsel deserve answers, and any information about what happened must be shared with them promptly and transparently.”

Medero Curet is the ninth person to die in DOC custody this year. Fifteen people died in DOC custody last year, while five died in 2024, and nine died in 2023. Nineteen people died in DOC custody in 2022, a 10-year high.

This is a developing story. Please check back with the Eagle for updates.