On Thursday, Gonzalo Lopez, a 46-year-old convicted murderer, allegedly stabbed a prison transport bus driver and fled on foot last Thursday. This news sent law enforcement officials on a search in Leon County.
Officials indicated that Lopez was on prison transport from Gatesville to Huntsville. Lopez allegedly made his escape when the bus was outside the town of Centerville, KBTX reported.
Centerville is a rural community that lies 123 miles southeast of Dallas and 117 miles north of Houston.
According to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, there is no evidence suggesting Lopez has left the area. Fox News reported the search will focus primarily on the county where the prisoner is believed to have escaped as law enforcement attempts to find Lopez before he flees elsewhere.
Reportedly affiliated with the Mexican mafia, Lopez was serving a life sentence for attempted murder in Webb County and for capital murder in Hildalgo County.
Lopez is currently the most wanted fugitive in Texas, with his search attracting more forces, including the Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).
According to KXAN, law enforcement officials scoured the area for Lopez on horseback using highly trained dogs.
To intensify the search and incentivize the public, TDCJ has a combined $50,000 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to the capture of Lopez.
According to the TDCJ Facebook page, Texas DPS is offering $35,000, U.S. Marshals are offering $10,000, and the TDCJ’s Office of the Inspector General is offering $5,000.
Bryan Collier, the executive director of TDCJ, said that the multi-agency search would not end until Lopez was apprehended. Furthermore, he thanked all the agencies for their support in the massive search and contribution to the reward.
Over the past week, authorities have asked the residents of Centerville, a community of close to 16,000 people, to be on the lookout for Lopez. They also recommended schools within the area close down as the search continues.
The authorities have asked residents to report any sightings of the fugitive. He is considered dangerous, so residents should not approach or engage him. The Leon County Sheriff said that those living within the search area should ensure that their vehicles, houses, and buildings are locked and observe extreme caution.
Residents in the region should call 911 immediately if they see anyone they suspect is Lopez. All tips can be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 936-437-5171 or 800-832-8477.