Find a complete list of them here. 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. The group came out of the brush, they said, because they thought the truck had driven away. @upandvanished I am sorta annoyed that you all promoted "The Heads of Sierra Blanca" without stating it is fiction. During the 60-minute event, the candidates stuck to the talking points that have so far dominated this election season. 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. Details Scott Sutterfield, a spokesman for Louisiana-based LaSalle Corrections, confirmed via email that Sheppard no longer worked for the company. Thus, the pod investigates the "truth" week after week. 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. 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. Please dont tell Mom. A lock ( contract had been ended because of the water issues, which stemmed from a problem obtaining adequate supply from a nearby town. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Six months later they would be accused of leading the family to believe it was a suicide despite evidencesuggesting otherwise. Some people in town have expressed shock, saying the brothers had never displayed any sort of racial animus. 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. "One male immigrant was shot and killed," their statement read. Lunas family insists that she would never commit suicide and that the evidence does not support that suggestion. Employees with Uber and Lyft said theyre not getting paid enough, taking high gas prices and inflation into account. Others recalled interactions that seemed to take on new meaning in the wake of the arrests. Calls for Gov. They are driving me crazy. He later told investigators he moved there to be close to where he buried Marys body. 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. Help us secure our homeland, find out more at cbp.gov/careers. It felt like somebody stabbing you in the heart, recalled Mount. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. Abbott launched a domestic terrorism taskforce in response to that shooting. The other was fatally struck and died at the scene. According to the podcast, Ana Nuez, Carlos Aniceto and Magdalena's own aunt, Lorena Salas, were murdered by a killer. In 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 Word of the shooting spread rapidly through Sierra Blanca, a pit stop for truck traffic along Interstate 10. By 2021, the detention center no longer housed any migrants for federal authorities, according to inspection records. Bah was processed according to the applicable immigration laws. Military probes reservists slaying WINK News reached out to McDonald and his attorney for comment but did not hear back. 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. San Antonio Reddit users call out local businesses to boycott, The tragic case of an S.A.-area dentist and his Miami patient, SpaceX will be ready for launch in six to eight weeks, Musk says, H-E-B family listed among worlds richest people by Forbes, SAWS will pay you to rip out 'boring turf', H-E-B family, SpaceX and S.A.s best restaurants top weeks news, Internet says $40 at Texas Roadhouse can last you a week, 5 found shot 'execution style' in home in San Jacinto County. Gov. This has been the deadliest year ever for migrants trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Court records, however, did not show either of the men had been formally charged as of Thursday afternoon with a crime. Saturday night shooting in downtown Fort Myers under investigation. One migrant was struck in the stomach and transported to a hospital. 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. Agents have been assigned to the case on a full-time basis, and more than 350 interviews have been conducted at locations across the country. Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro called the shooting Coastal nonprofit's survey of SpaceX launch site details San Antonio eyes stickers in fight against domestic violence, Man accused of strangling neighbor to death in apartment, SA's last Tuskegee Airman buried at Fort Sam, Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run on Interstate 35 downtown. The company spokesman, Scott Sutterfield, said the detention center currently did not have I.C.E. 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. 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. Im dying, really. 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, We were finishing the meeting when the call came in, he added, speaking of the 911 call about the killing. 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. Neither of the men went to check if they had struck anything and denied having yelled after exiting the truck. 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. They said they did not go to see if they had in fact hit a target. Indiana Airman found dead at base in Texas Officials continue to be tight-lipped about the details of the case, citing an ongoing investigation. The migrants later told federal agents they had heard one of the men shout in Spanish for them to Come out, according to the Times report. 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. The FBI El Paso field office said in a statement the shooting happened in the evening of Sept. 27 in Sierra Blanca, Texas. The sprawling surrounding county, home to some 3,200 I held my sisters bones in my hands, no brother should have to endure that, he said. Do you value our journalism? She said Mom, it will be late, but I will be home.. One of the suspects is a warden at a nearby, privately run immigrant detention facility. 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. 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 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/migrants-shot-texas.html, Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times. 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. Copyright 2023 Fort Myers Broadcasting. WebSierra Blanca crime rates are 73% higher than the national average. 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. No pictures of her in USAF uniform. 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. 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. Knapp said she was told by the prosecutor at the time that because her daughters body had not been recovered, there werent more serious charges that could be pursued. He then changed his story and said he and his brother "looking for ducks, then changed it to birds, and then to Javelina's." Around Sierra Blanca, the detention center was known as a good job, paying more than double what was offered at the local jail. It's unclear if the two incidents are related. The AFOSI referred to the death as a homicide in the media in the early stages of the investigation. The first thing that entered my mind was that anyone who held a position that he did shouldve known better, he said. Another added, "The fact that they tried to claim it was true, the website they built has a tip line of sorts at the bottom. Ive never gone hunting with them. But then, he told Texas detectives he could take them to Mounts body. Later, the murder was blamed on cartels and turf wars, but Magdalena wasn't buying that coverup story. My son did not deserve to die this way, Napolen Seplveda Moreno said in an interview last week. 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. The facility operated by the for-profit prison company LaSalle Corrections held immigrants for ICE up until October 2019. On reddit, listeners didn't hold back at voicing their discontent. Mount was born with a genetic disorder at only five pounds. A new bill would change that, LULAC raises reward amount for info on woman who allegedly lured migrants away from Texas, Hispanic students were once segregated at this school. Their families were in Ciudad Jurez, across the border from El Paso, this week, demanding justice for the shooting. Border Patrol helped trace the truck and investigators discovered the vehicle was assigned to Mike Sheppard, according to the newspaper. 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. This is a military base highly secured. 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. The killing is being investigated by the Texas Rangers along with agents from the F.B.I. 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. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which is leading the investigation, would not answer further questions about the shooting. does not care about record high numbers of illegal immigrants. Surviving migrants told investigators they hid in the brush when the men pulled over in Were talking Spanish, and he yells at us not to speak Spanish in front of him, like were talking about him or something, he said. 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. El Paso police arrested McDonald for the murder. "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. Change). Greg Abbott to declare an invasion misread the Constitution and the facts on the ground, says the director of UT Laws Immigration Clinic. 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. My gut feeling is they are looking for a culprit outside of the base, but the murderer is on the base. He moved in with Felipe Andrade, a man in his early 60s, who according to news reports had a history of taking in transients. Click Share This Page button to display social media links. One man was killed and a woman was injured. The county sheriffs office refused to comment on whether Sheppard is still employed at the jail. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The people shot were part of a group of The Sheppard brothers, both 60, were taken into custody late last month, and charged with manslaughter. 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. Knapp didnt sugar coat her objections either when Mount first met Terry Daniel McDonald in late 2003. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. She was a 24-year-old single waitress who lived alone. It is also at the junction of the Southern Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads. The family says Sepulveda is the man who was shot and killed last month in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Fans of the podcast 'The Heads of Sierra Blanca' are dying to know whether there is any truth to the murders of Sierra Blanca. Eventually, the family learned from the autopsy report that the official manner of death was considered undetermined. 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. (LogOut/ The guy died. Authorities believe that these murders were the collateral damage of a cartel turf war that spilled into Mexico. Nearby Border Patrol agents assisted the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Department in locating the truck used during the shooting. Word of the shooting spread rapidly through Sierra Blanca, a pit stop for truck traffic along Interstate 10. Our faith tells us to love thy neighbor, she said. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. A 2018 report found officials at the Sierra Blanca facility had grievously abused 80 men who were detained at the center. 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. So, Friday night, theyre demanding action in the cell phone lot at Southwest Florida International Airport. The migrants (kcbd.com) Justice for Blanca Luna She felt like this is a good thing. But I dont want other people to suffer the way that we are suffering.. Suspicious death: Student airman with stab wound dies in hospital 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. Javelinas are similar-looking to hogs. The sprawling surrounding county, home to some 3,200 people, is more than three-quarters Hispanic. But he waited until last week to create a cartel division at Texas DPS. Michael Sheppard fired two shots with a shotgun, according to the affidavits. 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. Its been over a decade since the man who was last seen with Mary Mount led investigators to the shallow grave where he had left her body near Sierra Blanca, Texas. As of Tuesday, both men were again in custody, this time closer to home at the Hudspeth County jail. The Times reported that a law enforcement official told the newspaper that Michael Sheppard, the warden at the West The Sheppards, both 60, were arrested and booked into the El Paso County Jail after 6 a.m. Thursday, according to online records. The Intercept reported the allegations more than four years ago. The Texas Democratic Party and the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus on Thursday issued rebukes of the incident, and called for immigration reform instead of rhetoric that encourages violence against migrants. 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. She was discovered with a knife in the back of her neck according to the death certificate and no pants or underwear and dried fluid near her groin according to the autopsy. Grissom Airman found dead in Texas Sierra Blanca is an hours drive east of El Paso, along Interstate 10. Help us secure our homeland, find out more at. Knapp said she misses her daughters company, especially around the holidays, which is when Mount went missing in 2004. Texas Air Force Reservist Found Stabbed to Death in Hotel At 2:00 AM on March 14, 2007, an assailant broke into her home, drugged her, and Ms. Casias is from San Jos de Bellavista, a small town an hour and a half from San Martn. The Lee County Sheriffs Office is holding a press conference regarding an arrest after a deadly Sunday morning shooting in Lehigh Acres. Hundreds have drowned in the Rio Grande or perished from extreme heat in failed smuggling attempts. Neely said he didnt know Mike Sheppard well, though he had attended multiple meetings with him about a local water shortage that has at times affected the prison. Neely, the Hudspeth County Judge, said in an interview he was shocked by the shooting. Eight years later, the case is still considered under investigation and highlights the need for cold case squads in the military. Fans of true crime podcasts weren't impressed that the creators of The Heads of Sierra Blanca weren't forthcoming with the lack of truth behind their story. A subsequent investigation by the Office of the Inspector General for the federal Department of Homeland Security could not substantiate the detainees claims. "The division and fear that Greg Abbott and his fellow bigots have created has made Texas a more dangerous place for all Hispanics. 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. WebCrime in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Border Patrol Apprehends Interpol Murder Suspect. My son did not deserve to die this way, he said. What possibly could go wrong? 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. It was a murder, and it was a hate crime.. UVALDE ROCKED BY HORRIFIC FATAL CRASH INVOLVING IMMIGRANT SMUGGLER. Authorities believe that these murders were the collateral damage of a cartel turf war that spilled into Mexico. He did not address Sheppards alleged use of the company truck. She was taken to a local hospital in Wichita Falls where she died shortly thereafter. The suspects told investigators that they had been driving around hunting and looking for animals, according to the affidavit. 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. 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. Arvin West, the Hudspeth County Sheriff, has not returned multiple calls asking for an update on the case, though West initially told KVIA in El Paso he would be staying away from the investigation.. 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. No suspects were ever identified. A woman was shot in the stomach. All inquiries are being referred to the Texas Rangers and FBI," the statement read. When they looked to see if the vehicle had driven away, they heard the two gunshots. It's time for President Biden to do his job and stop this humanitarian crisis by securing our southern border. More than 10,000 vehicles travel through the Sierra Blanca checkpoint on a daily basis. The family believes that AFOSI did not investigate the crime with due diligence and was trying to lead them to believe Blanca committed suicide. Addington said he was outraged by the shooting.