Accidental deaths, including motor vehicle deaths, declined in El Paso County last year while trends in drug use are changing, according to the annual report from the Office of the Medical Examiner.
The office investigates cases that are homicides, suicides and accidents, as well as sudden or unexpected natural deaths. Last year, El Paso County recorded 7,200 deaths. Of those, 1,145 were accepted by the medical examiner for exam or inquest – a review of medical records to determine cause of death without examining the body.
The annual report is intended to help guide public health decisions and bring awareness to trends. The El Paso County Commissioners Court appointed forensic pathologist Dr. Mario Rascon as chief medical examiner in 2014. Irene Santiago, chief of operations for the medical examiner, declined El Paso Matters’ request for comment from the office.
Here’s what the latest report shows about public health trends and at-risk groups in El Paso:
Accidental deaths are declining because drug overdose and motor accident deaths are declining
Drug toxicity made up about half of all accidental deaths last year. The second highest cause of accidental death was blunt force trauma.
The number of accidental deaths dropped 32% from 2023 to 2025, echoing a similar decline in deaths related to motor vehicles in addition to a recent decrease in fentanyl overdose deaths. Men made up the majority of both drug toxicity and motor vehicle deaths.
Cocaine surpassed fentanyl in deaths for the first time since 2019
Cocaine was involved in 60 deaths last year – the highest for cocaine-involved deaths in the last 10 years. It was the most common drug in toxicology-related deaths last year, followed by methamphetamine and fentanyl.
In the past decade, both fentanyl and meth were involved in a steady rise in toxicology-related deaths, peaking in 2023 before seeing a sharp drop last year.
The change in overdose deaths indicate shifts in drug use in El Paso. In 2023, the city and county governments of El Paso began a public push for opioid harm reduction activities and naloxone, the medication that reverses opioid overdoses, became more accessible. The more widespread availability of naloxone, the disruption in the fentanyl supply and Gen Z’s lower rate of opioid initiation could support the waning deaths from opioid overdose.
READ MORE: El Paso received millions to combat opioid risks. How was that money spent?
Meanwhile, the cultivation of coca, a plant and natural stimulant used to produce cocaine, has seen a comeback in recent years, with experts saying the surge in supply has caused a price drop – making it more affordable for people to access.
Both single-drug users and multi-drug users combining stimulants with opioids contribute to the number of overdoses involving stimulants. Cocaine and meth, a synthetic stimulant, accounted for 53 single-drug deaths. Opioids including fentanyl made up eight single-drug deaths.
Cardiovascular disease is number one cause of sudden natural deaths
Cardiovascular disease was by far the leading diagnosis of sudden or unexpected natural deaths. Complications from chronic alcohol abuse was the second leading diagnosis for sudden and unexpected natural deaths with 20 deaths.
The medical examiner ruled 185 deaths were caused by cardiovascular disease, the majority of which were hypertension and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a condition where fatty plaque builds up in the artery walls.
High rates of diabetes contribute to the prevalence of heart disease in El Paso. More than 15% of the population in El Paso County has diabetes, which is higher than the national rate of more than 11%, according to the El Paso Center for Diabetes. Genetic predisposition – Mexican Americans are more prone to insulin resistance, socioeconomic factors such as lack of health insurance, diet and lifestyle factors – are all drivers of diabetes and heart disease in El Paso.
The youngest people who died by suicide were all boys
The number of suicide deaths has not had significant changes in the past five years. The medical examiner recorded 94 suicides last year in people from adolescence to over age 85. Seven of the deaths occurred in people ages 11 to 18, all of whom were boys. Males made up the majority of all suicides recorded in El Paso, as well as nationally.
READ MORE: 5 ways El Paso parents can support their children’s mental health
In a 2024 study, researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that rates of preteen suicide have been increasing by approximately 8% annually since 2008, with a pronounced increase among Hispanic preteens.
While youths make up a small percentage of all suicides – more than half of El Paso’s cases last year were people ages 23-42 – barriers to mental health care, feelings of isolation, excessive screen time and social media pressure including cyberbullying have all been linked to the increase in risk for self harm in young people.
Where to seek help for mental health and substance abuse
Emergence Health Network: Trauma-informed care for children and adults with mental health, substance use and developmental disability needs.
Project Vida: Behavioral health care including on-campus therapy at public schools.
Recovery Alliance: Support for people in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction including drop-in center.
NAMI: Peer-led support groups for people with mental health conditions, as well as their friends and family.
Borderland Rainbow Center: Resources and therapy for LGBTQ youth and their caregivers.
The post Motor vehicle deaths fall, overdose drugs shift: Medical examiner data shows how people died in El Paso in 2025 appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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