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Venezuelan asylum seeker dies of heart attack amid stress over immigration case

Oct 4, 2026·Location: Orem, UT

Country of origin: Venezuela

Venezuelan asylum seeker dies of heart attack amid stress over immigration case
Photo via Instagram

Leomar David Ríos, a 35-year-old Venezuelan asylum seeker from Maracaibo, died on October 4 in Orem, Utah, after suffering a heart attack that his wife attributes to stress over his immigration status. Ríos worked at a local mechanic shop and supported his four children. His wife, Mariana Graterol, said he felt unwell after playing soccer with friends and arrived at the hospital without vital signs. She said he had been living in "permanent anguish" over an upcoming immigration court date and fear of detentions, and the family has started a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs.

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