sierra blanca, texas murders

While awaiting trial, Lee County detectives came to Texas to question him once again about Mount. The FBI, United States Border Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations are assisting. The FBI said there is no pending threat to public safety at this time. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The group came out of the brush, they said, because they thought the truck had driven away. Waitresses in town also remembered Mr. Sheppard objecting to hearing Spanish spoken in his presence while eating. And I think Im next., Her aunt replied: Where are you? As of Tuesday, both men were again in custody, this time closer to home at the Hudspeth County jail. Appreciate it! Now it will be a historic site, Another National Guard soldier working Operation Lone Star dies by suspected suicide, Immigration, guns and abortion dominate Abbott, ORourke debate in the Rio Grande Valley, Why theres no invasion happening on the U.S.-Mexico border, Border sheriffs coalition says 'time will tell' if Abbotts terrorist designation bears fruit, Migrant deaths at the U.S.-Mexico border hit a record high, in part due to drownings, Migrants flown from Texas to Massachusetts sue Florida Gov. Mr. Seplveda suffered a fatal gunshot to the head. According to one detainee, the Warden Sheppard threatened him and said "Boy, I'm going to show you. They said the men used profanity as they shouted at them to come out and opened fire when they emerged. Former students at the Blackwell School in Marfa, Texas, who were once banned from speaking Spanish, have worked for years to preserve the school's history. They shot me, Ms. Casias can be heard saying, then adding, They are OK. Its just me and another guy. She said Mom, it will be late, but I will be home.. Sept. 29, 2022 At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. A 2018 report found officials at the Sierra Blanca facility had grievously abused 80 men who were detained at the center. Our Town: Gloria Barrios San Antonio first responders received the two calls within moments of each other Friday evening. I can start a new life, a new future with somebody and this guy he fit the bill, said Steve Knapp. 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. The short answer to the question of whether The Heads of Sierra Blanca is based on a true story is no, and believe us when we say we tried to find even a slightly similar murder story occurring around or before 2007 in Texas. "One male immigrant was shot and killed," their statement read. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent. Marshals, county records showed. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS You're my b---h" and told another detainee "now you belong to me, boy.". The Sheppards, both 60, were arrested and booked into the El Paso County Jail after 6 a.m. Thursday, according to online records. The family says Sepulveda is the man who was shot and killed last month in Sierra Blanca, Texas. They are good guys. According to the affidavits filed, a group of migrants were "traversing the desert" in a remote area near Sierra Blanca and stopped to drink water out of a water tank in a reservoir. WebIn 2007, a serial killer inspired by Rube Goldberg murdered Lorena Salas, Carlos Aniceto, and Ana Nuez in Sierra Blanca, Texas then vanished never to be heard of again. "The preliminary investigation shows that a truck with two men inside pulled over and shot at a group [of] illegal immigrants standing alongside the road getting water," DPS said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. Six months later they would be accused of leading the family to believe it was a suicide despite evidencesuggesting otherwise. TX is 257 (City-Data.com crime index), which is comparable to the U.S. average. Her aunt, Silvia Carrillo, shared an audio recording of a conversation she said she had with Ms. Casias shortly after she was shot. SIERRA BLANCA, Texas U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Station arrested a citizen of France illegally in the United States and wanted for murder by Interpol, Aug. 6. The migrants had been drinking from a water tank along the roadside and tried to hide behind the tank during the incident late Tuesday. This is just another example of how President Biden's open border policies continue endangering lives. A K-9 unit sits outside the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office in 2010. The detainees, mostly men from Somalia who were in the process of being deported, told the researchers that they had been mistreated by staff members, including the warden. Related Links: She loved the military. I think theres often a credibility bias toward law enforcement, said Fatma E. Marouf, one of the reports authors and a law professor at Texas A&M University. The county sheriffs office refused to comment on whether Sheppard is still employed at the jail. His brother stopped the truck and used his shotgun to fire two rounds toward what he thought was an animal. AFOSI has been the lead investigative agency since Airman Lunas death. The El Paso District Attorneys Office, which would prosecute the case, said Wednesday police had not yet presented the office with a case to prosecute. So he knew what he was shooting at. Her younger brother, Steve, described her as being in a very vulnerable state when she met McDonald in a chatroom for a fantasy adventure game. Blancas momwants answers from military officials, and she wants them to classify Lunas death as a homicide and find the culprit. Guillermo has also worked in Central America, Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona and California and his work has appeared in various publications, including the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, New York Post, Newsday, Denver Post and the Albuquerque Journal. Ive never gone hunting with them. As he Read more 0 At this point, I dont know what to think. The deputy said Mark Sheppard no longer had a job there. 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. 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, Im glad we found her, but if this county would have done its job, somebody wouldnt have had to die, recalled Knapp. (The US average is 22.7) Sierra Blanca Ms. Casias, 31, was shot in the stomach and, though seriously wounded, was expected to survive. They turned their back on her, said Knapp. A 2018 report detailed the experience of several Somali migrants that were detained at West Texas Detention Center, where he was the warden. 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. In 2004 he was not involved with the case, but said he has reviewed that case file. Gov. The two brothers charged last week in a shooting that killed one person and left another injured near Sierra Blanca were released from the Hudspeth County jail Monday night on bonds of $250,000 each, the county sheriffs office said. 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. One of the suspects is a warden at a nearby, privately run immigrant detention facility. Sierra Blanca, TX. Knapp said one night just after the new year in 2004, Mount and McDonald left for the hotel after watching a movie. I think nearly anyone who knew the man is really just astonished that he used such poor judgment, he said. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Offers may be subject to change without notice. When Blancas body arrived in Chicago, the family observed bruises on Blancas face as if she had been punched or had fallen and scratches between her fingers that appeared to be defensive wounds. WebSierra Blanca crime rates are 73% higher than the national average. She felt like this is a good thing. U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Landon Hutchens released a statement Friday about the shooting. A spokesman for LaSalle Corrections said Sheppard was no longer employed by the company. Others recalled interactions that seemed to take on new meaning in the wake of the arrests. 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. Hundreds have drowned in the Rio Grande or perished from extreme heat in failed smuggling attempts. When Mounts remains were discovered, they were severely decomposed. HUDSPETH COUNTY, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) A migrant was killed and another was injured during a shooting in Sierra Blanca on Tuesday, according to the FBI The first two episodes are out now!https://t.co/AQ9kCzFYbs pic.twitter.com/h266noC4iY. 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. 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. Was the DNA collected at the scene compared to the national DNA database (CODIS)? I held my sisters bones in my hands, no brother should have to endure that, he said. 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. Neely said he had not received any new details about the investigation beyond what has been already reported in the news. 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. Id really love to be a part of online community where I can get responses from other experienced people that share the same interest. Very good site you have here but I was curious if you knew of any message boards that cover the same topics talked about in this article? But he did admit that Mary died after they had sex and that he freaked out and stuffed her body into a duffle bag and put her in the trunk of her car. 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. We were speaking Spanish, and Mark said, Dont speak Spanish around me, said Bill Addington, 65, a longtime resident who volunteered at a local food bank where Mr. Sheppard would supervise county inmates on work detail in striped uniforms. The warden at the West Texas Detention Center (WTDC), Sierra Blanca, TX has been terminated due to an off-duty incident unrelated to his employment, Sutterfield said. Border Patrol Apprehends Interpol Murder Suspect. (LogOut/ At 2:00 AM on March 14, 2007, an assailant broke into her home, drugged her, and I know that. 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. That warden always had a good relationship with that sheriff down there, said Mr. Johnson, the former LaSalle employee. U.S. Border Patrol aided the search for the shooter. During Mr. Sheppards time as warden there, the facility had a contract with the federal government to house hundreds of detainees for the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. 12-year-old Lucas Roulston loved to be outside and had a huge smile. Calls for Gov. They initially determined that it was a homicide and investigated it as a crime. The vehicle linked to the shooting belonged to LaSalle Corrections, according to the Express-News. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which is leading the investigation, would not answer further questions about the shooting. Domingo Garca, president of LULAC, the largest and oldest Latino civil rights organization says the shootings are the result of anti-immigrant rhetoric displayed by conservative politicians including Texas Gov. She was in the Marines. Two of Blancas friends who had visited her at the base noted that she had talked about problems with some airman in her classes. Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, second from right, at a high school football game in Sierra Blanca, Texas, last month. Agents checked cameras and found the vehicle that matched their description and found out the owner is Mike Sheppard, who admitted he's the only person that drives that vehicle, the affidavit says. But for 14 years, Mounts case has remained an open investigation. Find a complete list of them here. One man was killed and a woman was injured. This wanted international fugitive attempted to remain in the U.S. illegally and was stopped by the diligent work of our Border Patrol agents.. A spokesman for the company, which operates more than a dozen detention facilities across Texas, Louisiana and Georgia, said Mr. Sheppard had been fired after his arrest. Although the warrant detailed Mary as a missing person who had not been seen or heard from by family and friends, none of this information was permitted into evidence at trial. 'The Heads of Sierra Blanca': True Story or Fiction? It was not clear why Mike Sheppard and his brother were accused of manslaughter as opposed to another potential criminal charge this week. Hudspeth Sheriff Arvin West did not immediately return an email Thursday. The detention center is in Sierra Blanca, Texas, about four miles north of where the DPS spokesperson said the shooting occurred. Our faith tells us to love thy neighbor, she said. The suspects have since claimed they had been out hunting birds and hogs, though statements from witnesses contradicted their claims. 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.. SIERRA BLANCA, Texas Jess Ivn Seplveda Martnez started his fateful journey to find work in the United States in his fathers car before catching a bus from Ceballos, Mexico, to the border. Mounts family feels every year that goes by is another year that someone got away with murder. But if you would like to submit something, please send to militaryjusticeforall@gmail.com, Since when did Air Force personnel start wearing Marine Corps uniforms. Indiana Airman found dead at base in Texas "On Sept. 27, at approximately 9:17 p.m., U.S. Border Patrol Agents from the Sierra Blanca checkpoint received a call for assistance from Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office to help them locate a female gunshot victim after they received a 911 call. During the recent debate in the race for governor, the Democratic candidate, Beto ORourke, said the killing could be traced to Gov. To see more, visit Texas Public Radio. The affidavit says Mike Sheppard "was reluctant to speak" about the incident and left. The men initially stated they had been looking for ducks and pivoted to searching for birds before finally looking for javelinas. Tornado touchdown confirmed in Charlotte County, 16-year-old suspect arrested in Florida after killings of 3 teens, Family of 12-year-old hit and killed by car hope his death sparks change, Family mourning 12-year-old killed after being hit by car in Lee County, 17-year-old suspect arrested after Lehigh Acres shooting, Law stopping hate acts signed by DeSantis, Uber and Lyft drivers demanding change to make ends meet, Former employee accused of breaking into and stealing money from Naples store, Fort Myers Beach recovery efforts seven months after Hurricane Ian. CreditIvan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times. Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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. 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. She was a 24-year-old single waitress who lived alone. The "in respect of the victims" in the podcast notes. Air Force Identifies Murdered Reservist The Texas Tribune reported that the agency also suggested additional charges against the brothers could be forthcoming, saying ICE would continue to investigate the case and will pursue state murder charges and any other potential federal crimes. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar has said shes asking the Justice Department to investigate the shooting as a hate crime. Will Republicans really pick the one candidate Biden can beat? This has been the deadliest year ever for migrants trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. ", He added: "National leaders on both sides of the aisle need to condemn the rhetoric that inspired this attack, and Texas authorities must swiftly prosecute this crime as murder.". Bah was processed according to the applicable immigration laws. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/migrants-shot-texas.html, Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times. "It's flat, meaning anything that moves, you see it. Before leaving for the United States, his son received a small salary caring for farm animals and growing melons in their home of San Martn, several hours south of the border. This is a case with a lot of circumstantial evidence, that we hope to be able to sure up and charge him if he is in fact the killer, said Feinberg. 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. did not respond to a request for comment. Please dont tell Mom. Findings have been reviewed by a diverse team of experts, including specialists in forensics, polygraph, computer investigation, behavioral psychology and forensic pathologyMore than 200 DNA tests have been done.. Greg Abbott (R-TX) and Lt. Gov. 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Border Patrol, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations helped in the inquiry. Mount was born with a genetic disorder at only five pounds. It was dozens of people complaining.. The detention center is in Sierra Blanca, Texas, about four miles north of where the DPS spokesperson said the shooting occurred. "Definitely an intriguing and creepy plot. Greg Abbotts hateful rhetoric on immigration. What inflamed the already combustible situation was that the men charged with the shooting were familiar local fixtures: Michael Sheppard, the warden of a deeply troubled private prison in town who works closely with the sheriff, and his twin brother Mark Sheppard, an employee at the county jail that the sheriff runs. Greg Abbott to declare an invasion misread the Constitution and the facts on the ground, says the director of UT Laws Immigration Clinic. The desolate area near the Mexico border is the last place Dottie Knapp thought her daughter would end up. DPS is also investigating a second shooting incident involving a migrant in Hudspeth County that happened on Wednesday. Big Bend Sector Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak said, This arrest highlights our law enforcement collaboration, including partnerships well beyond our borders. No suspects were ever identified. 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. The Texas Rangers, the FBI and several other agencies are investigating after two migrants were shot, one fatally, in a rural county outside El Paso, Texas. The soldier is the 10th known Texas Guard member linked to the mission to die since its rapid expansion began in September 2021. Sutterfield did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Thursday about those previous allegations or Mike Sheppards continued employment after they were made. Within weeks of meeting, her family said Mount paid for McDonald to travel from Washington to Florida and purchased a hotel room for him in Cape Coral. The Sheppard brothers, both 60, were taken into custody late last month, and charged with manslaughter. In late 2005, Andrades family had not heard from him and when they showed up at his. He said he went to Knapps home and stole several things before fleeing the state, buying a shovel along the way and ultimately burying Mount in Sierra Blanca. Weve gone from you see a few a week to hundreds crossing property it is like nothing anyone has ever seen, she said. The Debrief with Tim Carney: Who will take the blame for all the COVID lockdowns? Sheriff West was there, too. More than 10,000 vehicles travel through the Sierra Blanca checkpoint on a daily basis. The Lee County Sheriffs Office is holding a press conference regarding an arrest after a deadly Sunday morning shooting in Lehigh Acres. Warden of Texas immigrant jail fired after arrest for shooting 2 migrants, SAPD calls: Body in flooded creek; man dead after hit by train. A woman is accused of breaking into a retail store in Naples on Monday, April 3, hiding her identity by holding an umbrella while taking money from the business. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. A female immigrant was also shot and is now recovering at Del Sol hospital in El Paso.". She told me, you know mom, I really appreciated the fact that you treated me like every other kid and you didnt baby me, Knapp recalled about a conversation with her daughter. "The division and fear that Greg Abbott and his fellow bigots have created has made Texas a more dangerous place for all Hispanics. County officials said the I.C.E. The mission of BorderReport.com is to provide real-time delivery of the untold local stories about people living, working and migrating along the U.S. border with Mexico. Justice for Blanca Luna Disclosure: New York Times has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Feinberg said McDonald is their suspect but the decomposed remains and the various jurisdictions across many states create difficulties in the case. 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. Greg Abbott. A county court clerk in El Paso said there were no documents available yet because the men were recently booked. For local and breaking news, sports, weather alerts, video and more, download the FREE KTSM 9 News App from theApple App Storeor theGoogle Play Store. The station is responsible for 73 border miles between the U.S. and Mexico. Inmates at the time resorted to using plastic bags for toilets and had to kill a rattlesnake found in their sleeping quarters when officials failed to respond. 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. The people shot were part of a group of migrants, according to the FBI. SIERRA BLANCA, Texas U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Station The FBI El Paso field office said in a statement the shooting happened in the evening of Sept. 27 in Sierra Blanca, Texas. He shot a woman in the stomach and he basically hit one of the immigrants in the head. Thats not going to bring my boy back to life. At AFOSIs request, the FBI sent an evidence response team to process the scene immediately after Airman Luna was found, and the two agencies have continued to cooperate in the investigation. The San Antonio Express-News reported that Mike Sheppard was the warden of the West Texas Detention Center, run by the Louisiana-based LaSalle Corrections, a company that operates jails, prisons and immigration detention centers. Border Patrol helped trace the truck and investigators discovered the vehicle was assigned to Mike Sheppard, according to the newspaper. The 'Over My Dead Body' Podcast Is Here to Sate Your 'Dirty John' Withdrawals, 10 True Crime Audiobooks That'll Make You Cancel Your Weekend Plans, Caroline Calloway Tells Her Own Story or, Tries To. There was also the fact that Magdalena had never put out a podcast before that raised some brows among seasoned true crime fans. The Air Force cannot guarantee the bases safety when they do not even know who committed the crime. Six months after her death, no official determination was made as to the manner of death: homicide, suicide, or accident. Authorities found the injured woman roughly two hours after the attack. No pictures of her in USAF uniform. Thomas Neeley, the top elected official in Hudspeth County, told Marfa Public Radio that Mark Sheppard has been an employee at the county jail, though his employment status remains unclear. Mount was going through a divorce with her husband and moved home with Knapp in the last months of her life. The Intercept reported the allegations more than four years ago. He did not respond to the allegations in 2018 about mistreatment at the jail, nor did he say whether any action had been taken against Mr. Sheppard as a result of the complaints. But I dont want other people to suffer the way that we are suffering.. Justice needs to done. but later changed "him" to "it". Sheppard was named in an egregious 2018 report that found officials at the Sierra Blanca jail had abused 80 men in detention. 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 FBI El Paso field office said in a statement the shooting happened in the evening of Sept. 27 in Sierra Blanca, Texas.
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