A former detainee who was held alongside Denny Adán González has challenged the official account that claims the Cuban took his own life. In an interview with CiberCuba, he asserts that González was beaten to death by guards at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia as retaliation for a previous altercation.
An immigrant who shared time in the Stewart Detention Center with González has expressed skepticism about the official narrative regarding his death. He contends that the 33-year-old was assaulted by guards following a prior conflict. This testimony adds to the growing questions from González's family, who died on April 29 while in ICE custody.
Guillermo Aguilar, deported to Mexico after being held in the same facility, shared his account with CiberCuba. He believes that González, found dead in solitary confinement, was fatally beaten by guards. "I am almost 100% certain this is what happened to Denny," Aguilar stated.
According to Aguilar, the incident began the Sunday before González's death when he had a scuffle with a Black guard. Due to a language barrier, González did not understand the guard's commands, leading to a physical struggle that resulted in the guard being hospitalized. Subsequently, González was placed in solitary confinement.
Aguilar, who had himself been in that same isolation cell due to a separate incident, completely dismisses the possibility of a suicide in that space. "There's no way anyone could hang themselves there. Guards check on you every few minutes, signing a log to confirm their rounds,” he explained.
He contrasted the solitary cell with the general area of the center: "If they told me he died in the area with 100 people, I'd believe it, because there's a second floor and places to tie something. But not in that solitary cell, it's impossible."
Aguilar's theory is corroborated by ongoing communication with a detainee still at the center, who confirmed via WhatsApp that suicide was impossible. When asked if this viewpoint was widespread within the facility, Aguilar affirmed, "Yes, exactly."
Lourdes González Suárez, Denny's mother in Cuba, also rejects the official version and demands an independent investigation, asserting, "The guards killed him." His older brother, Dayán Hernández González, who resides in Spain, learned of the death through a brief call from the center's "Officer Valdés," who refused to provide details, stating only that they were obliged to inform.
The Stewart Center, managed by private company CoreCivic, has witnessed at least 13 deaths since 2006, with Denny being the fourth reportedly due to suicide. Amílcar Valencia, executive director of El Refugio, labeled the center "one of the deadliest detention centers in the country" and called for its closure.
Denny's demise marks the 18th death in ICE custody in 2026 and the third involving a Cuban that year. This occurs amid a significant increase, 463%, in Cuban detentions from October 2024 to late 2025. A JAMA study analyzed 272 ICE custody deaths from fiscal year 2004 to January 19, revealing an annualized death rate of 88.9 per 100,000 detainees, the highest in 22 years.
The case is under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, while the family seeks ways to return González's remains to Cuba.
Insights into Denny Adán González's Death in ICE Detention
What do eyewitnesses claim about Denny Adán González's death?
Eyewitnesses, including Guillermo Aguilar, claim that González was beaten by guards in retaliation for a previous altercation, contradicting the official narrative of suicide.
How has the Stewart Detention Center been characterized by critics?
Critics, such as Amílcar Valencia, describe the Stewart Detention Center as one of the deadliest in the country, with multiple deaths attributed to poor conditions and alleged misconduct.