HOUSTON – (April 23, 2021) – The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the death of Deputy Alexander Gwosdz, who died Thursday from COVID-19 complications. Our hearts, prayers, and condolences go out to his grieving family, loved ones, and colleagues.
Deputy Gwosdz (pronounced Guush), 32, was a 9-year agency veteran of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. He joined the agency in 2012 as a detention officer responsible for the custody and care of those in the largest jail in Texas. Since graduating from the Sheriff’s Office Basic Peace Officer Course in 2014, he has served as a patrol deputy in northwest Harris County.
Deputy Gwosdz’s father, Chris Gwosdz, retired from the Sheriff’s Office in 2020 after 34 years of service.
He is the fourth Sheriff's Office deputy, and the fifth employee agency-wide, to die after contracting the virus. The others are:
- Sgt. Raymond Scholwinski, 70, died on May 6, 2020.
- Deputy Juan Menchaca, 70, died June 13, 2020.
- Deputy Johnny Tunches, 56, died on Nov. 2, 2020.
- Detention Officer Robert Perez, 54, died on February 2, 2021.
“We are devastated and saddened by another loss of life and reminded again of the dangers of this terrible virus,” said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. “Deputy Gwosdz loved his job. He had a servant’s heart. He came from a law enforcement family; his father is a retired Sheriff’s Office deputy and our brother in blue. His whole life was ahead of him.”
