Wednesday, March 27

Escaped convicted killer Gonzalo Lopez dead after shootout with officers south of San Antonio, TDCJ says


Authorities announced that Lopez was caught on Thursday night, three weeks after his escape.

LEON COUNTY, Texas — Authorities announced Thursday night that escaped convicted killer Gonzalo Lopez was killed in a shootout with law enforcement officers in a county south of San Antonio. The news came three weeks after his escape from a prison transport bus in East Texas.

The announcement came hours after a Houston-area family of five was found dead in a weekend home in Centerville. Authorities said Lopez was the “prime suspect” in the killings.

RELATED: Gonzalo Lopez captured | Escaped convict believed to have killed Houston-area family of 5, TDCJ says

The capture

TDCJ officials said law enforcement officers in Atascosa County, which is just south of San Antonio, spotted Lopez driving the truck they believe he took from the scene where the family was found dead in Leon County.

They trailed Lopez and eventually spiked his tires. Authorities said a short chase ensued and eventually Lopez crashed the truck into a tree and got out with two guns.

TDCJ officials said he fired several shots at the officers and multiple officers returned fire, killing him.

It happened at about 10:30 p.m., according to authorities. No officers were struck.

Here’s the update provided after he was killed:

History

Lopez is a convicted killer who escaped police custody last month. On May 12, Lopez got away by shedding his shackles and cutting through a metal barrier before stabbing a correctional officer and getting away on foot after the prison transport bus he had taken over crashed.

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An exhaustive manhunt took place in the weeks to follow.

The manhunt for Gonzalo Lopez took a turn on Thursday when officials said they discovered a family of five dead in a Leon County home within the search area for Lopez. TDCJ said the family was from the Houston area.

Authorities said the victims arrived at the home on Thursday. They think they were killed Thursday afternoon because they were seen earlier Thursday morning.

Authorities said Lopez is the “prime suspect” in the killings.

TDCJ officials said someone alerted authorities after they weren’t able to get a hold of a relative on Thursday. Law enforcement authorities responded to the home, which was described as a weekend home off Highway 7, and found two adults and three children dead.

TDCJ authorities also said they believe Lopez took a 1999 white Chevrolet single-cab truck from the home where the victims were found dead.

This is the update provided by TDCJ officials before the Leon County Sheriff’s Department announced he was caught.

The escape

Lopez was being transported from the Alfred Hughes Unit (outside of Gatesville in Central Texas) to a prison medical facility in Huntsville when he was able to get loose and stab the bus driver in the hand and chest. He drove off in the bus but didn’t get far after another guard shot out the bus’ back tires with a shotgun.

RELATED: TDCJ clarifies details on escape, search continues for Gonzalo Lopez

Authorities said it’s still unclear if anyone from the inside helped him get away and also said it’s unclear if the bus was being followed.

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“There is no indication that there was anything of a suspicious nature from the time that bus left Gatesville until the time of the accident,” a TDCJ spokesman said.

Who is Lopez

Lopez is serving back-to-back life sentences for shooting at a Webb County, Texas sheriff’s deputy in 2004 and killing a man with a pickax in Hidalgo County after holding him ransom on a drug debt.

RELATED: This isn’t the first time escaped convict Gonzalo Lopez has successfully gotten away from law enforcement

It’s not the first time Lopez has managed to hide from law enforcement for an extended period of time. In 2004, he was able to run away from a police chase in South Texas and stayed hidden with the help of a cartel associate, he told investigators at the time.   

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