Who was Gonzalo Lopez? Texas fugitive shot dead after killing 5, including 2 children
A recently escaped criminal identified as Gonzalo Lopez was killed in a shootout with the cops after he allegedly murdered a family of five earlier in the day. The 46-year-old career criminal reportedly escaped from a prison bus while he was being taken to a doctor.
Lopez, who was apparently a Mexican Mafia member was the subject of a massive manhunt until Thursday, June 2 when the authorities got hold of five bodies including three children and two adults in a family cabin along Texas route 7, West of Centerville. According to the Daily Mail, Lopez murdered Mark Collins, 66, and his four grandsons namely Waylon, 18, Carson, 16, and twins Hudson and Bryson, 11. He then stole their car and AR-15, and drove off, before dying in a shootout with police.
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Who was Gonzalo Lopez?
Gonzalo Lopez was a criminal associated with Mexican Mafia- a nefarious Latino prison gang. Before his escape, the notorious criminal was serving life in prison for a murder in Hidalgo County, along the border of Texas and Mexico. He was a repeat offender who also had a strong affiliation with criminal elements across South Texas.
According to reports, Lopez received two 8-year sentences in the year 1996 after he was convicted of 2 counts of aggravated assault. In 2006, he received a life imprisonment for capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. In 2007, he got another conviction for attempted capital murder. He had also escaped prison earlier.
1/2 Manhunt for Gonzalo Lopez continues near Centerville, Texas. More officers on horseback are searching for the dangerous Mexican Mafia member who hijacked a prison bus before escaping. Authorities say they are narrowing down the perimeter & still believe he is there hiding. pic.twitter.com/GgOfPILBaJ
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) May 15, 2022
Gonzalo Lopez killed five people during escape
According to the Daily Mail, the cops revealed that Gonzalo Lopez free himself from his restraints, stabbed the bus driver, and hijacked the bus. After crashing the bus cow pasture, he escaped into the woods where he killed Collins and his four grandchildren. Lopez stole the family’s 1999 Chevrolet Silverado which was later spotted at about 220 miles southwest of the cabin.
Sheriff David Soward said, “He exited his truck. He fired additional rounds. At least four officers returned fire at the suspect”. This came after the Jourdanton police then used spike strips to flatten the truck's tires. Speaking on the incident, Jason Clark, spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, asserted, “'We are very saddened that the murders happened, but I will tell you that we are breathing a sigh of relief that Lopez will not be able to hurt anybody else” adding, “It's incumbent upon us to go backwards to figure out how did he escape, how did he beat our security protocols in order to leave that transport vehicle.”