TX - Escaped convicted murderer, stabbed guard, 12 May 22; murdered family of 5, Centerville, shot dead near SA, 2 JUNE 2022

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A terrible outcome of the situation.
Now we need to apply a larger effort than was mounted to capture him, to determining the acts of those complicit in his escape. Refer to my post #48 of my concerns of how he was able to accomplish his escape, in the time available, in sight of a guard.


"(Genius he may be, but picking the black box lock, the handcuffs lock, crunchy-crunchy cutting a man sized panel in the steel mesh (even with excellent quality mini bolt cutters), all take time. Time he did not have before the driver sensed activity or the rear guard missed his head in his forward view.
This was one well organized and well financed escape plan.)"

I believe somewhere there will be evidence of material assistance in providing him with the opportunities and tools needed. There is too much done, with too little, in such a short time, on a moving bus.
Further; that when determined, those found should be charged with the 5 murders they allowed to occur. It is also on them as they turned him loose.

Just reviewing, it would seem that tracking dogs would have been directly brought to the escape scene. Certainly should have had a dog accompanying each team clearing those house's. If not, why not. A good dog would have alerted at a site he had been present in, though moved to another. Every prison has access to tracking dogs, patrol cars run at high speed, put dogs to work as soon as possible. These are questions that have not been asked nor addressed during the actual hunt.
 
Senator pushes for change when transporting violent criminals following deadly inmate escape
The above article made it clearer to me how the 2 guards ended up outside the bus, the prisoner taking the wheel, and the both guard were able to shoot at the tires. It should have NEVER gotten as far as it did. A desperate convicted killer was on the loose for 3 weeks, and, at the end of those 3 weeks, within a mile of the initial escape, 5 innocent lives in one family were murdered in cold blood by that criminal.
During the transport, Lopez reportedly got out of his restraints, cut through the expanded metal, and crawled out of the bottom of the cage. The officer reportedly stopped the bus and engaged in an altercation with Lopez. The two of them eventually exited the bus.

Officials said a second officer exited the bus's rear door and tried to approach Lopez.

However, Lopez reportedly reentered the bus and began driving away.

The two officers fired shots at the inmate, which ultimately disabled the bus when a bullet struck a rear tire.
From the same article, at least the TX legislature is looking at changes to be made to prison policy.
But tragically, too little too late for the 5 (4 of them CHILDREN) victims from the Collins family.
Senator John Whitmire, chairman of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee, said there should always be backup when transporting violent criminals so the community is not at risk. …….
“Here is the point that I am ready to declare. We should never allow a capital murderer serving a life sentence to travel across the state in a bus. If they are on a bus, there should be a trailing security officer armed to make certain that if something went wrong on the bus, the inmate does not escape," Whitmire said.
 
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A terrible outcome of the situation.
Now we need to apply a larger effort than was mounted to capture him, to determining the acts of those complicit in his escape. Refer to my post #48 of my concerns of how he was able to accomplish his escape, in the time available, in sight of a guard.


"(Genius he may be, but picking the black box lock, the handcuffs lock, crunchy-crunchy cutting a man sized panel in the steel mesh (even with excellent quality mini bolt cutters), all take time. Time he did not have before the driver sensed activity or the rear guard missed his head in his forward view.
This was one well organized and well financed escape plan.)"

I believe somewhere there will be evidence of material assistance in providing him with the opportunities and tools needed. There is too much done, with too little, in such a short time, on a moving bus.
Further; that when determined, those found should be charged with the 5 murders they allowed to occur. It is also on them as they turned him loose.

Just reviewing, it would seem that tracking dogs would have been directly brought to the escape scene. Certainly should have had a dog accompanying each team clearing those house's. If not, why not. A good dog would have alerted at a site he had been present in, though moved to another. Every prison has access to tracking dogs, patrol cars run at high speed, put dogs to work as soon as possible. These are questions that have not been asked nor addressed during the actual hunt.

Gatesville, where the killer convict was housed, to Centerville, where the escape happened, is approximately 110 miles, 2 hours travel time, according to Google maps. Would 2 hours be enough time to accomplish what had to be done to breach whatever restraints were in place?

I also want to note this happened right before the bus would have entered I45 south to travel the 50 remaining miles from Centerville to Huntsville, the destination. Seems to me it was the last chance to attempt this escape before the final leg of the trip. I45 is heavily traveled, and any sort of escape on that interstate would have involved more risk of exposure to the hundreds of cars that would be in the vicinity. Doing it on Hwy 7, a mile or so from the intersection with I45, is much less populated, and increased the odds of success for sure.
 
Senator pushes for change when transporting violent criminals following deadly inmate escape
The above article made it clearer to me how the 2 guards ended up outside the bus, the prisoner taking the wheel, and the both guard were able to shoot at the tires. It should have NEVER gotten as far as it did. A desperate convicted killer was on the loose for 3 weeks, and, at the end of those 3 weeks, within a mile of the initial escape, 5 innocent lives in one family were murdered in cold blood by that criminal.


From the same article, at least the TX legislature is looking at changes made to prison policy.
Too little too late for the 5 (4 of them CHILDREN) victims from the Collins family.
Let's look at a longer quote from this article regarding transportation changes needed at TDCJ. Headers in red & formatting are mine.

Re: GL's Restraints
"Whoever placed those on the individual, there was a failure," Whitmire said. "The procedures terribly failed the victims of this crime and the people of Texas. They are not supposed to ever get out of their handcuffs or shackles. Someone didn't put them on properly. Was it a human error, or did someone intentionally allow the cuffs to be loose enough for this individual to escape? You would certainly hope not, but we have to check every possibility."

Additional Security - Trailing Vehicle
Whitmire said while it is unfortunate it took something this tragic to correct. He said he will demand policy change to ensure a trailing vehicle behind buses with high-risk inmates being transported. If he is met with hesitation by TDCJ, Whitmire said he will introduce legislation in January. "I don't think we need to wait until January," Whitmire said. "Starting Monday, they need to have someone trailing."

Transport for Medical Appointments
Whitmire also believes it needs to be reviewed why inmates are taken to healthcare facilities across the state instead of a closer option.

* * * * * * * *

IMO, the last one needs the most review and justification. Why is anyone as dangerous as Lopez being transported in a low security environment? Only two CO's on the bus? Bus security so inadequate that he is able to attack the driver & commandeer the bus? Some offenders need a doctor to come to them. There is a systemic service issue here.

The legislature must take action to review this incident thoroughly and implement changes. Inside the system the decisions made might make sense but from an outsider's viewpoint they are negligent to the point of criminality. Precious lives have been lost due to gross malfeasance of duty by TDCJ.

Are the inmates running this asylum? Because I don't feel safe.

MOO
 
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Gatesville, where the killer convict was housed, to Centerville, where the escape happened, is approximately 110 miles, 2 hours travel time, according to Google maps. Would 2 hours be enough time to accomplish what had to be done to breach whatever restraints were in place?

I also want to note this happened right before the bus would have entered I45 south to travel the 50 remaining miles from Centerville to Huntsville, the destination. Seems to me it was the last chance to attempt this escape before the final leg of the trip. I45 is heavily traveled, and any sort of escape on that interstate would have involved more risk of exposure to the hundreds of cars that would be in the vicinity. Doing it on Hwy 7, a mile or so from the intersection with I45, is much less populated, and increased the odds of success for sure.
Did he escape along Hwy 7?

I haven't been successful in pinpointing the location of the bus after he ran but I think it was a service road along I-45.

I would appreciate any help in clarifying.

TIA & MOO
 
Here's the full statement:

"TDCJ has temporarily suspended the transport of inmates as the agency conducts a comprehensive review of its transportation procedures. If it becomes necessary to do a transport such as releasing or an emergency medical appointment, additional security measures will be implemented. The agency is conducting an internal Serious Incident Review and also intends to bring in an outside firm to conduct an independent review to identify factors that may have led to the escape of Lopez."


Emphasis & font color mine.
 
Did he escape along Hwy 7?

I haven't been successful in pinpointing the location of the bus after he ran but I think it was a service road along I-45.

I would appreciate any help in clarifying.

TIA & MOO

Trying to copy reporter Brian Entin’s tweet from May 13 that specified near Hwy 7 and I45.
Hwy 7 heading west from I45 was closed for several days following the escape. I am pretty sure the bus was not along the feeder of I45. I was driving that stretch of interstate that same day within 2 hours of the escape and I saw no LE presence along the feeder roads exiting to or entering from Centerville. My understanding is that it was a mile or so west of that interchange.
 
Well I was 100% wrong. I'm shocked he stayed in the IS and horrified by this outcome. Is it me or did the Casey White escape embolden a lot of prisoners to make their own escapes?
 
Trying to copy reporter Brian Entin’s tweet from May 13 that specified near Hwy 7 and I45.
Hwy 7 heading west from I45 was closed for several days following the escape. I am pretty sure the bus was not along the feeder of I45. I was driving that stretch of interstate that same day within 2 hours of the escape and I saw no LE presence along the feeder roads exiting to or entering from Centerville. My understanding is that it was a mile or so west of that interchange.
I watched the video again (unedited on the maker's Facebook page) and it does indeed look like it was on Hwy 7.

Thanks!
 
Well I was 100% wrong. I'm shocked he stayed in the IS and horrified by this outcome. Is it me or did the Casey White escape embolden a lot of prisoners to make their own escapes?
Casey did not really escape". He was hauled out. I personally imagine he was shocked when he was released to get ready, was able to "swagger" out to the car, BEHIND Vicky, in his loose and cool leg chains. Probably thought. Cool cop, what is going on? Re check the departure vid. Casual.

 
Related story:
Inmate, 3 guards hurt in prison van crash with suspected drunk driver in Montgomery Co., police say

Wreck happened last night with a TDCJ transport van with prisoners. This flies in the face of the statement earlier yesterday about TDCJ suspending prison transports, unless this was considered an emergency transport. This was an apparently an accident, on I45 N near Willis, possibly involving a drunk driver in another vehicle. Story says 3 guards were in the van.

Officials suspended prison transports on Monday, but said the overnight transport from a Galveston hospital was for medical reasons and involved additional security.
Statement above is from the photo caption in this story.
 
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