TDCJ RELEASES REPORT ON LOPEZ ESCAPE

  

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has released the Serious Incident Report regarding the escape of Gonzalo Lopez that occurred back in May. 

Lopez was in prison serving back-to-back life sentences for shooting at a Webb County Sheriff’s Deputy, and for killing a man with a pickax in Hidalgo County. 

On May 12, Lopez escaped from a prison transport bus near Centerville, and later killed a family five. He killed nearly a month later after trying to shoot it out with police. 

Over 20 staff members were disciplined for their failures during the situation.  This included improper searches, application of restraints, trafficking of inmate property, failure to utilize contraband detection equipment, and failure to make supervisory rounds.

Initially, Boyd Unit Pack Canines were dispatched to aid with the search.  However, the report states that when scent specific canines and horses were brought in, and inner perimeters were set up that it led to a cross contamination of odors in the area, and the dogs searching in the wrong direction.

Both TDCJ Director Billy Hirsch and CID Director Bobby Lumpkin were on the scene.  The report adds that there was also confusion among law enforcement as to who was in charge.

Recommendations to try to prevent future incidents from happening include increasing to three staff members on all transports, reducing the number transports, video surveillance on all transport vehicles, and establishing high risk inmate categories.