sierra blanca, texas murders sierra blanca, texas murders

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. All so gross. Copyright 2023 Distractify. At this point, I dont know what to think. Big Bend Sector Border Patrol agents, patrol 517 miles of the southwest border, an area that extends from Sierra Blanca, Texas to Sanderson, Texas. The other was fatally struck and died at the scene. McDonald has been incarcerated in Texas since being found guilty of Felipe Andrades 2005 murder. 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. Addington said he was outraged by the shooting. A K-9 unit sits outside the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office in 2010. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. Prior to that incident, ICE had investigated how detainees were forced to use plastic bags for toilets and killed a rattlesnake in their sleeping quarters because staff would not take action. FILE - The warden of a West Texas federal jail for immigrants has been fired after he and a brother allegedly shot at migrants walking along a roadside in Hudspeth County on Sept. 27, killing one and wounding another. When they interviewed his brother, Mark Sheppard, he initially said he was never at the location where the shooting happened. Greg Abbotts hateful rhetoric on immigration. Big fan of the pod, give me a warning next time, I want that time back! The affidavit says he also told agents he asked Mike Sheppard "did you get him?" Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. She was an Air Force Reservist on temporary duty at Sheppard AFB attending a technical training course for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC). This wanted international fugitive attempted to remain in the U.S. illegally and was stopped by the diligent work of our Border Patrol agents.. According to its description, it investigates a 2007 serial killer who murdered three people in Sierra Blanca, Tex., "then vanished never to be heard of again. The water reservoir where two migrants were shot, one fatally, near Sierra Blanca, Texas, last month. One man was killed and a woman was injured. Knapp said she misses her daughters company, especially around the holidays, which is when Mount went missing in 2004. I hunt man, he added in a grinning reference to the nature of his job in law enforcement. A spokesman for LaSalle Corrections said Sheppard was no longer employed by the company. 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. 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 WebCrime in Sierra Blanca, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston will assume lead in this investigation moving forward. 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. One of the men emerged with a gun and opened fire, fatally striking Mr. Seplveda, wounding a young Mexican woman and making the southern border region around Sierra Blanca a new focal point in the nations increasingly contentious immigration debate. But then, he told Texas detectives he could take them to Mounts body. The station is responsible for 73 border miles between the U.S. and Mexico. WebMigrant survivors of West Texas shooting detained by ICE were drinking water from a reservoir on county land in Sierra Blanca, south of El Paso in the hot, dry Chihuahuan Desert, when two men identified in court documents as the Sheppard brothers pulled over in a truck. The first two episodes are out now!https://t.co/AQ9kCzFYbs pic.twitter.com/h266noC4iY. He denied yelling anything. 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. 12-year-old Lucas Roulston loved to be outside and had a huge smile. Border Report reached out to DPS for confirmation of the victims CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. In a news conference last week, Mr. Abbott called the shooting horrific and completely wrong but blamed President Biden for the spike in arrivals and the need for Texas to deploy National Guard troops to the border and bus thousands of migrants to northern cities. On at least one occasion, Sheriff West filled in as warden at the facility when Mr. Sheppard was out of town, according to the inspector generals report, and some of those who worked with them described the two men as friends. Several listeners of the episodes that are out so far were quick to point out that the show "sounded scripted," and that it seemed fake even though the podcast presented these events as though they were real. The soldier is the 10th known Texas Guard member linked to the mission to die since its rapid expansion began in September 2021. The affidavit says Mike Sheppard "was reluctant to speak" about the incident and left. 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. She was a 24-year-old single waitress who lived alone. 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 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. AFOSI has been the lead investigative agency since Airman Lunas death. Some of the migrants have said they were lured on to the flights with promises of jobs, housing and other benefits. The Murder of Military Women Continues Sheriff West was there, too. The wounded individual, identified by DPS only as a female, was taken to Del Sol Hospital in El Paso, where she was recovering. One of the suspects is a warden at a nearby, privately run immigrant detention facility. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. "Personally I thought it was the vilest thing I've ever heard in podcast form, unethical and immoral at most, in very bad taste at the very least," one person wrote. Greg Abbott to declare an invasion misread the Constitution and the facts on the ground, says the director of UT Laws Immigration Clinic. 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. Theyre looking in the wrong placeI cant express what I feel about these people. 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. 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.. The incident is under investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Sheppard AFB security forces squadron. 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. During the inspection, Bah was determined to be illegally present in the United States and in possession of a passport that did not belong to him. They initially labeled the death a suspicious incident. The sprawling surrounding county, home to some 3,200 people, is more than three-quarters Hispanic. 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. Border Patrol Apprehends Interpol Murder Suspect. Updated: 10 PM Central. Joanna Mackenzie, the county administrator and also its emergency manager, said officials found more than 15 bodies of migrants in the desert last year, an increase from two or three a year in previous years. Hudspeth County officials said they found more than 15 bodies of migrants in the desert last year, an increase from two or three a year in previous years. McDonald would later admit to stuffing Mounts lifeless body in a duffel bag and hauling it across the country. 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 '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. He always talked about going to work in Texas. Michael Sheppard worked as the warden at the West Texas Detention Center, a privately run detention center, until he was fired following his arrest last week. "Definitely an intriguing and creepy plot. Copyright 2023 Fort Myers Broadcasting. She was taken to a local hospital in Wichita Falls where she died shortly thereafter. As this is an active and ongoing investigation by the Texas Rangers, DPS said. Officials continue to be tight-lipped about the details of the case, citing an ongoing investigation. Michael and Mark Sheppard were transferred from the El Paso County jail, where they had been taken last month, to a jail in Hudspeth County, and then released last week after each posted bond of $250,000, according to the chief deputy sheriff in Hudspeth County, Lasaro Salgado. Appreciate it! No pictures of her in USAF uniform. Hudspeth Sheriff Arvin West did not immediately return an email Thursday. WebCrime rate in Weslaco, Texas (TX): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map. She said initially she struggled to get the Lee County Sheriffs Office to open a missing persons case because Mount was an adult. The "in respect of the victims" in the podcast notes. Six months after her death, no official determination was made as to the manner of death: homicide, suicide, or accident. She loved the military. 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. 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. Had they been honest up front that it's a made up story, I would have been less irritated with how scripted it felt before I realized it WAS actually scripted. The 22-year-old soon slipped into Texas and, with a group of about a dozen migrants, began traversing the parched landscape east of El Paso on foot. Mount was born with a genetic disorder at only five pounds. Ms. Casias is from San Jos de Bellavista, a small town an hour and a half from San Martn. According to the arrest affidavit in the case, authorities believe Mike Shepard, the former prison warden, was the one who shot the migrants. Please dont tell Mom. Three days after Mr. Seplveda texted his father that he had made it across the border, the group stopped for water at a small pond along a rural road. 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, Around sunset, two men in a pickup truck drove by, and the migrants took cover in the brush. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Im sure the thought back then was, theres probable cause for burglary. Greg Abbott (R-TX) and Lt. Gov. CreditIvan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times. The vehicle backed up and the driver got out, leaned on the hood and fired two shots from a firearm at the group before leaving the scene. Death on the Border: Were Twin Brothers Hunting Migrants or Wildlife? Abbott has waged a battle against Bidens border policy and Mexican cartels since early 2021. Tuesdays incident drew condemnation from Texas Democratic Party and a caucus of Hispanic lawmakers. 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. In a detailed voluntary statement, McDonald said he wanted to make clear he did not murder Mount. SIERRA BLANCA, Texas U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Station Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro called the shooting ", 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.". Marshals, county records showed. Additionally, Bahs records checks revealed that he had an active Interpol warrant for murder out of France. She was living in the Chicago, Illinois area and studying Graphic Design. Ill see how I get out of this one, Ms. Casias said. UVALDE ROCKED BY HORRIFIC FATAL CRASH INVOLVING IMMIGRANT SMUGGLER. Theyre [Air Force] treating me like dirt. ABC News has confirmed that one of the men arrested was Mike Sheppard, a former warden at West Texas Detention Center. Air Force Identifies Murdered Reservist 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. 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. So he knew what he was shooting at. This is pissing me off, he said. See the explanation McDonald gave to police whileMountwas missing. This was murder and attempted murder of people trying to get clean water just because of the color of their skin. Two of the men were waving and asking for help while a third, was suffering from a gunshot wound to his face. These individuals need to be held accountable. Scott Sutterfield, a spokesperson for LaSalle Corrections, said in a statement that Sheppard no longer worked for the company. Do you value our journalism? Mr. Seplveda suffered a fatal gunshot to the head. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. A woman was shot in the stomach. Find a complete list of them here. The Sept. 27 killing drew broad condemnation, raising questions about the rule of law in the cactus-studded high plains of West Texas and the real-world impacts of a bitter political divide over how to handle a record number of unauthorized crossings at the southern border. The Debrief with Hugo Gurdon: Why nobody wants a rematch of Trump and Biden in 2024, Reporters Notebook: Biden makes 2024 campaign official. A DPS spokesperson referred further questions about the shooting to prosecutors in El Paso, where jail records show the two brothers were being held. @upandvanished I am sorta annoyed that you all promoted "The Heads of Sierra Blanca" without stating it is fiction. Do you think The Heads of Sierra Blanca should have been more forthcoming and transparent? A family is mourning their 12-year-old who was hit by a car and killed while crossing an intersection in Lee County on Friday. They are good guys. OSI continues to investigate March 7 death The Sheppards, both 60, were arrested and booked into the El Paso County Jail after 6 a.m. Thursday, according to online records. She met Mr. Seplveda on her journey. Javelinas are similar-looking to hogs. 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. I held my sisters bones in my hands, no brother should have to endure that, he said. Mount wasnt answering her phone, and eventually the calls would go straight to voicemail. By 2021, the detention center no longer housed any migrants for federal authorities, according to inspection records. Help us secure our homeland, find out more at. He and his brother, Mark Sheppard, were arrested, jail records show. Our Town: Gloria Barrios The shooting happened near the small town of Sierra Blanca, Texas. The alleged shooting took place on September 27 near Sierra Blanca, Texas. but later changed "him" to "it". Change). Call 911 and the border agents will find you.. EL PASO Two men shot two migrants, killing one and injuring another, earlier this week while the two victims stood along a West Texas road getting water, authorities said. The detention center is in Sierra Blanca, Texas, about four miles north of where the DPS spokesperson said the shooting occurred. In his interviews with investigators, Mark Sheppard said he and his brother had been out looking to shoot animals and thought they had spotted some javelinas, similar to wild hogs. 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. You dont really know this man. Mark Sheppard said that they had stopped the truck because they believed they had spotted a javelina, according to the Times. did not respond to a request for comment. Indiana Airman found dead at base in Texas Gloriahad questions about the bruises, defensive wounds, and the fluid found near Blancas groin but never received any answers. PublishedOctober 6, 2022 at 11:10 AM CDT. 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. Anyone can read what you share. Vivek Ramaswamy calls out the brainwashing, indoctrination, and dangers of children gender transitioning, Reporters Notebook: Republicans take a hammer to Dems climate law. Sept. 29, 2022 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. 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. NWS confirms tornado hit Charlotte County. They shot us. Jeanette Harper, an FBI special agent in El Paso, confirmed the agency had provided resources to Texas Rangers for an evidence recovery scene but deferred further comment to DPS as it was the leading investigative authority. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. On March 7, 2008, SrA Blanca A. Luna, 27, US Air Force Reserve, was found unresponsive and with injuries consistent with a stab wound in her billeting room at 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. No suspects were ever identified. And so I gave him my blessings, Mr. Seplveda said in a telephone interview. Military probes reservists slaying The Texas Department of Public Safety, which is leading the investigation, would not answer further questions about the shooting. One of the reasons we filed the report is that it wasnt just one person complaining. My condolences to the family. I am not aware of any message boards regarding this topic. The migrants, who had stopped for a drink of water at a reservoir, told investigators that one of the men yelled obscenities at them and revved the trucks engine before opening fire, according to an arrest affidavit. Two brothers were arrested in connection to the shooting that occurred Tuesday on FM 1111 in Hudspeth County, approximately four miles south of Sierra Blanca, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The detention center is in Sierra Blanca, Texas, about four miles north of where the DPS spokesperson said the shooting occurred. 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. According to the podcast, Ana Nuez, Carlos Aniceto and Magdalena's own aunt, Lorena Salas, were murdered by a killer. We can continue investigating where is Mary Mount, said Dan Feinberg, the current prosecutor on Mounts murder. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. In 2004, McDonald was extradited from Texas to Fort Myers to face charges. On March 7, 2008, SrA Blanca A. Luna, 27, US Air Force Reserve, was found unresponsive and with injuries consistent with a stab wound in her billeting room at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas three days prior to graduating and heading back home. During the recent debate in the race for governor, the Democratic candidate, Beto ORourke, said the killing could be traced to Gov. Garca grew up near the region where these two shootings occurred this week. 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. My gut feeling is they are looking for a culprit outside of the base, but the murderer is on the base. Border Patrol Apprehends Interpol Murder Suspect. The warden at West Texas Detention Center, Sierra Blanca, TX, has been terminated due to an off-duty incident unrelated to his employment, Sutterfield said. Click Share This Page button to display social media links. They were identified as Mike Thomas Sheppard and Mark Edward Sheppard, both 60. It was dozens of people complaining.. The Sierra Blanca Station area of responsibility consists of more than half of Hudspeth County or about 2,500 square miles. Anna Giaritelli, Homeland Security Reporter, Freedom House undermines mission by downplaying genocide and terror. I can start a new life, a new future with somebody and this guy he fit the bill, said Steve Knapp. 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. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. If the Butlers had known that five people have recently disappeared from the 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. 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. He told agents Mike Sheppard fired two rounds from a shotgun. The deputy said Mark Sheppard no longer had a job there. Texas Air Force Reservist Found Stabbed to Death in Hotel Here's what we know. The county sheriffs office refused to comment on whether Sheppard is still employed at the jail. 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. There are soldiers killing soldiers on American soil. 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. Weve had a lot of serious problems with the illegals coming across getting lost and dying in the desert, said Thomas Neely, 95, the Hudspeth County judge. They were then rearrested the following day, Deputy Salgado said, after the Texas Rangers issued a warrant on new charges related to the shooting: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Blancas mom feels that this is a cover-up. 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. "One male immigrant was shot and killed. It's time for President Biden to do his job and stop this humanitarian crisis by securing our southern border. Lunas family insists that she would never commit suicide and that the evidence does not support that suggestion. U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Landon Hutchens released a statement Friday about the shooting. At 2:00 AM on March 14, 2007, an assailant broke into her home, drugged her, and https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/migrants-shot-texas.html, Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times. The suspects told investigators that they had been driving around hunting and looking for animals, according to the affidavit. Its been over a decade since the man who was last seen with This is not the first time Mike Sheppard has been accused of endangering the lives of migrants. Upon hearing a truck approaching, the group tried to hide. detainees. Mount was going through a divorce with her husband and moved home with Knapp in the last months of her life. Abbott launched a domestic terrorism taskforce in response to that shooting. Calls for Gov. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said last week that the woman who was injured was in stable condition and recovering at an El Paso hospital, but the agency has not commented further. My son did not deserve to die this way, he said. "There was no way for the killers to know who their victims were or what their legal status was," Castro said in a statement.