sierra blanca, texas murders
That is a hellhole place, said Gregory Johnson, a former assistant warden at a different LaSalle prison in Texas, describing the West Texas Detention Center. TX is 257 (City-Data.com crime index), which is comparable to the U.S. average. A grieving family is remembering their young boy as a ball of energy. Suddenly the truck stopped, backed up and stopped again. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. One person was struck in the head and killed. According to a DPS spokesperson, a DPS trooper encountered three males in the center median of Interstate 10. At 2:00 AM on March 14, 2007, an assailant broke into her home, drugged her, and But the migrants told investigators that the two men had taunted them in Spanish as they were hiding. The killing is being investigated by the Texas Rangers along with agents from the F.B.I. They also follow years of complaints by immigrants against Michael Sheppard, who was the warden at the West Texas Detention Center in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Violent crimes in Sierra Blanca are 73% higher than the national average. Racially charged murders happen when we promote language and policies that produce hate, said MALC vice-chair and state Rep. Mary Gonzlez, who is from the El Paso area. On Sept. 29, two suspects were taken into custody and charged with manslaughter. The sprawling surrounding county, home to some 3,200 people, is more than three-quarters Hispanic. Bah was processed according to the applicable immigration laws. But he waited until last week to create a cartel division at Texas DPS. They were being held without bond, and no lawyers were listed for them, according to jail officers. God sees it all and is the ultimate judge and jury. Until his arrest, Mike Sheppard was the warden at the West Texas Detention Center, a nearby federal prison run by the company LaSalle Corrections which used to house detained migrants for the federal government and has been the subject of serious abuse allegations in recent years. Two men are accused of manslaughter after two migrants were shot in Hudspeth County this week. The warden of a federal prison in West Texas and his brother were arrested Tuesday in connection with the shooting of two migrants, one of whom died, according to My son did not deserve to die this way, he said. A male migrant was hit in the head and died, and a female was wounded in the stomach and taken to an El Paso hospital, DPS said. 5th Anniversary of Unsolved Murder on Sheppard Air Force Base Additionally, Bahs records checks revealed that he had an active Interpol warrant for murder out of France. It is also at the junction of the Southern Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads. Copyright 2022 Texas Public Radio. Appreciate it! They drove away and attended a water board meeting. And so I gave him my blessings, Mr. Seplveda said in a telephone interview. Lunas family insists that she would never commit suicide and that the evidence does not support that suggestion. The Murder of Military Women Continues He claimed he and the Lee County Sheriffs Office is actively working on the case, but would not comment on any timeframe for when there would be an arrest. They shot us. A 2018 report detailed the experience of several Somali migrants that were detained at West Texas Detention Center, where he was the warden. According to authorities, Mike and Mark Sheppard both facing manslaughter charges in the Sept. 27 shooting encountered a group of 13 migrants off a rural road south of Interstate 10 just after 9 p.m., stopped their truck and then began shooting at the group. "Given that podcasts are used for all kinds of content both fiction and non-fiction, I think the creators need to be open about what they're making," a redditor noted. Napolen Seplveda Moreno, 56, mourned the death of his son, who he said had hoped to meet up with his brother in Austin, stay a couple of years to make money to support his two young children and then return to Mexico. The facility still holds inmates for the U.S. The FBI is asking if anyone has any information or was a witness to the incident, please call the FBI El Paso Field Office at(915) 832-5000or 800-CALL-FBI(800-225-5324) or the Texas Rangers at(915) 849-4000. The sprawling surrounding county, home to some 3,200 My condolences to the family. The alleged shooting took place on September 27 near Sierra Blanca, Texas. The brothers, meanwhile, later suggested to authorities that they were in the area hunting, though investigators said one of the brothers changed details of his story multiple times. In an unsigned email response Thursday evening, the El Paso district attorneys office told the Tribune to contact DPS for the affidavits. A 16-year-old boy wanted as part of an investigation into the killings of three teenagers in central Florida was captured by authorities, days after another teenager and a 12-year-old were charged in the deaths. Anyone with information regarding the case should call Sheppard Air Force Base security forces at (940) 676-2981 [or Sheppard AFOSI at (940) 676-1852]. Cracking down on antisemitic acts in Florida, all the way from Isreal, after a new law protects people by hardening punishment for antisemitism. Im asking the authorities, Mexican and American, to work together and put these men in jail, said Napoleon Seplveda, Jess father, in an interview with El Paso Matters. A spokesperson for the facility would not confirm the name, but said the warden there had been terminated "due to an off-duty incident unrelated to his employment." Court documents filed Thursday state that the shooting took place 4 miles south of the Sierra Blanca exit on Interstate 10, which connects El Paso to San Antonio. Two 60-year-old brothers were arrested Thursday in connection with the shooting in Sierra Blanca Tuesday night, which is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Cold Case: Air Force Reservist SrA Blanca Luna Discovered Stabbed to Death in Base Lodging at Sheppard AFB in Texas(2008), Suspicious death: Student airman with stab wound dies in hospital, Texas Air Force Reservist Found Stabbed to Death in Hotel, Indiana Air Force reservist found fatally stabbed in Texas, Indiana Airman found dead at base in Texas, OSI continues to investigate March 7 death, Mother of Murdered Female Airman To Request Meeting on Oct. 3 with Sheppard Air Force Base officials on Status of Investigation, Blanca Lunas mother went to Texas but learned nothing about her daughters death on an air force base, Dead airmans family unhappy about lack of progress in case, Family suspects cover-up in airmans death on base, 5th Anniversary of Unsolved Murder on Sheppard Air Force Base, Find a Grave: Blanca Adriana Luna (1980 2008), Grozinger Law PA criminal attorney orlando fl. EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) The warden of a West Texas jail and his brother have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a migrant in Hudspeth County, the New York Times reported Thursday.. Sheppard began working as a warden in 2015 at the West Texas facility, which has been the subject of several allegations of violence against immigrants, according to The Intercept. The men initially stated they had been looking for ducks and pivoted to searching for birds before finally looking for javelinas. They said they did not go to see if they had in fact hit a target. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The Texas Department of Public Safety immediately deployed troopers to lead the manhunt and assist the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and local law enforcement in bringing these criminals to justice. @upandvanished I am sorta annoyed that you all promoted "The Heads of Sierra Blanca" without stating it is fiction. This is not the first time Mike Sheppard has been accused of endangering the lives of migrants. The Debrief with Hugo Gurdon: Why nobody wants a rematch of Trump and Biden in 2024, Reporters Notebook: Biden makes 2024 campaign official. They initially labeled the death a suspicious incident. Nearby Border Patrol agents assisted the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Department in locating the truck used during the shooting. The post claiming it was real. I am not aware of any message boards regarding this topic. She was in the Marines. According to AFOSI, theFBI assistedwith the investigation. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. That warden always had a good relationship with that sheriff down there, said Mr. Johnson, the former LaSalle employee. The suspects have since claimed they had been out hunting birds and hogs, though statements from witnesses contradicted their claims. I saw that in the aftermath in El Paso," Garca said, referencing the 2019 mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, where shooter targeting Latinos shot and killed 23 people. A spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, which includes the Texas Rangers, said the brothers were in a truck on FM 1111, about 4 miles south of Sierra Blanca, when they pulled over and the pair got out and allegedly fired at least two shots at four migrants. The shooting stunned residents of Sierra Blanca and focused renewed attention on the West Texas Detention Center, a county-owned facility run by a private company, LaSalle Corrections, where Michael Sheppard worked as the warden. He has also covered immigration, minority affairs and legal affairs as part of the projects team here and for other print, TV and radio outlets. He was released with time served. WINK News reached out to McDonald and his attorney for comment but did not hear back. Abbott's press secretary, Renae Eze, provided a statement to ABC News: "This shooting was a terrible tragedy, and violence of any kind will not be tolerated in Texas. Death on the Border: Were Twin Brothers Hunting Migrants or Wildlife? Change). This killing was not vigilante justice, Democratic Party Chairman Gilbert Hinojosa said. The group took cover to avoid being detected when a vehicle approached. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A stormy morning gives way to a sunny afternoon. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. "While people need to evaluate what they are hearing I dont think you do yourselves any favors by lying to your audience," they continued. The West Texas facility has had a reputation among some within the company as a difficult assignment in part because of its struggles to provide sufficient water supplies for its hundreds of inmates. Authorities found the injured woman roughly two hours after the attack. This has been the deadliest year ever for migrants trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. She was a Marine from 1997 to 2002 and then became a Reservist in 2007 at the 434rd Civil Engineer Squadron, Grissom Air Reserve Base in Indiana. SIERRA BLANCA - A Hudspeth County jury found Terlingua man Tony Flint not guilty of all charges Tuesday night, following three and a half hours of deliberation, By James Dobbins,J. David Goodman and Edgar Sandoval. Greg Abbott (R-TX) and Lt. Gov. Because this death occurred on a federal installation, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) was the lead on the investigation. All Rights Reserved. They are good guys. Its been over a decade since the man who was last seen with San Antonio first responders received the two calls within moments of each other Friday evening. Weve gone from you see a few a week to hundreds crossing property it is like nothing anyone has ever seen, she said. The New York Times, citing affidavits filed by investigators, reported the group was walking around 7 p.m. when they stopped at a water tank. WebSierra Blanca crime rates are 73% higher than the national average. Even though Mary had not been seen or heard from by her family or friends in weeks, the State Attorney did not charge McDonald with anything related to her disappearance. Over a week, the men faced beatings, racial taunts and sexual abuse at the hands of the centers officials who were under the leadership of Mike Sheppard at the time. As of Tuesday, both men were again in custody, this time closer to home at the Hudspeth County jail. Around Sierra Blanca, the detention center was known as a good job, paying more than double what was offered at the local jail. McDonald has been incarcerated in Texas since being found guilty of Felipe Andrades 2005 murder. The other was fatally struck and died at the scene. Upon hearing a truck approaching, the group tried to hide. Listeners pointed out small clues that gave it away, like the nieces not sounding convincing and the fact that one of the police characters is voiced by Machete's Danny Trejo. The migrants were standing near a water tank along a farm when I hope and pray justice will prevail. Our Town: Gloria Barrios After Mr. Seplvedas death, some of his relatives, including his mother, Luz Mara Martnez Castro, left, his partner, Sandra Lizeth Crdenas Ramrez, and his 6-month-old daughter, Sofa, have been holding a vigil in Ciudad Jurez, Mexico. did not respond to a request for comment. It found that officers used racist epithets and engaged in hate crimes. At this point, I dont know what to think. On the evening of the killing, both Michael and Mark Sheppard attended a meeting of the local water board. Do you think The Heads of Sierra Blanca should have been more forthcoming and transparent? They arrived around 7:30 p.m., roughly 30 minutes after the shooting. The Sheppard brothers were transferred from the El Paso County Jail on Monday before bonding out of the jail in Hudspeth County later that night. Hudspeth County, which sprawls over an area nearly the size of Connecticut, has faced a larger number of migrants trying to cross through the dangerous desert terrain, as the number of people seeking refuge in the United States has climbed sharply over the past few years. "We sounded the alarm in 2018 about Warden Sheppard, but ICE failed to address his egregious behavior and the inhumane and racist treatment of African migrants in the facility. It was not clear why Mike Sheppard and his brother were accused of manslaughter as opposed to another potential criminal charge this week. This was an utter dereliction of ICE's duty to supervise and protect immigrants held in detention, and has allowed Sheppard and others to continue to abuse immigrants with no consequences," the statement read. The Latino advocacy groups also announced it will ask the U.S. Department of Justice to look into the flights that immigrants rights groups claimed were nothing more than political stunts. A woman was shot in the stomach. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Steve Knapp recalled them arriving in a small brown paper bag, and broke into tears. Military probes reservists slaying AFOSI has been the lead investigative agency since Airman Lunas death. At least four immigrants were walking on FM 1111, approximately 15 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, around 7 p.m. local time and had stopped to drink water from a tank on the side of the road, the affidavits state. El Paso police arrested McDonald for the murder. Agents from the U.S. Border Patrols Sierra Blanca checkpoint were also called to help the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office locate a female gunshot victim around 9:15 p.m., a spokesperson for the federal agency said. The affidavit says migrants told federal agents they overheard one of the men yell in Spanish something to the effect of "Come out you sons of b----s, little a--s!" SIERRA BLANCA, Texas U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Station She was an Air Force Reservist on temporary duty at Sheppard AFB attending a technical training course for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC). Theyre looking in the wrong placeI cant express what I feel about these people. Sept. 29, 2022 Addington said he was outraged by the shooting. Did you get him? Mark Sheppard recalled asking his brother, in his statements to investigators, before changing the word him to it, according to the affidavit. Blancas momwants answers from military officials, and she wants them to classify Lunas death as a homicide and find the culprit. By, A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, dangerous anti-immigrant political rhetoric, How an anti-abortion campaign overtook a reproductive rights club on one Texas campus, Always on our minds: Austin celebrates 90 years of Willie Nelson, Severe storms are moving through the Austin area, More than a third of Texas prisons don't have air conditioning. The people shot were part of a group of Who turned off the cameras? The Sierra Blanca Station area of responsibility consists of more than half of Hudspeth County or about 2,500 square miles. And I think Im next., Her aunt replied: Where are you? They spend a lot of time outdoors. 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Border Patrol agents, patrol 517 miles of the southwest border, an area that extends from Sierra Blanca, Texas to Sanderson, Texas. Texas Air Force Reservist Found Stabbed to Death in Hotel This wanted international fugitive attempted to remain in the U.S. illegally and was stopped by the diligent work of our Border Patrol agents.. Sheppard was named in an egregious 2018 report that found officials at the Sierra Blanca jail had abused 80 men in detention. She was living in the Chicago, Illinois area and studying Graphic Design. The two suspects were taken into custody and each charged with manslaughter on Thursday, the spokesperson added. Six months later they would be accused of leading the family to believe it was a suicide despite evidencesuggesting otherwise. Eventually, the driver revved the trucks engine, fired a gun, climbed back into the truck and drove away. ", The eight-episode podcast is hosted by one of the victims' nieces, Magdalena Salas, who reports alongside a private investigator to research "what really happened and who is responsible.". Indiana Airman found dead at base in Texas ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Mike Thomas Sheppard, who until this week was warden of the privately run West Texas Detention Center in Sierra Blanca, and brother Mark Sheppard were arrested late Wednesday by Texas Rangers on manslaughter charges. An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The warrant for his arrest said a neighbor had seen McDonald entering Knapps home, removing items with another female who was most definitely not Mount. Scott Sutterfield, a spokesperson for LaSalle Corrections, said in a statement that Sheppard no longer worked for the company. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. Sierra Blanca, the county seat of Hudspeth County, is at the intersection of Ranch Road 1111, Interstate Highway 10, and U.S. Highway 80, eighty miles southeast of El Paso in the south central part of the county.
