Dept. of Criminal Justice temporarily suspends inmate transports after Gonzalo Lopez’s escape

DALLAS - The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is temporarily stopping the transportation of inmates while conducting internal and outside reviews of its procedures after inmate Gonzalo Lopez stabbed a correction officer before stealing the bus he was riding on to seek medical treatment, later fleeing on foot in Leon County last month. 

There will also be an independent investigation into how the convicted murderer got away in the first place.

The 46-year-old capital murder inmate was at-large for nearly three weeks. 

Authorities believe Lopez killed 66-year-old Mark Collins and four of Collins’ grandchildren at their family ranch before taking a truck from the ranch. He was killed in a shootout last week.

Lenard Vare is a retired Nevada prison warden currently living in Texas. He says it’s typical for vehicles transporting inmates to have a chase vehicle following behind.

"The obvious questions are how could something like this take place?" he said. "And if the bus is then overpowered, there’s another vehicle in the back with armed officers."

TDCJ says there was no chase vehicle when Lopez escaped.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice suspending transport of inmates

"In general prison terms, if you’re a higher security individual, you need to have additional staff," Vare said.

A report from the state auditor released this year showed a nearly 40% turnover rate at TDCJ in 2021, one of the highest of state agencies, mostly among correctional officers. Turnover was high in 2020 as well.

Vare says we cannot be sure if low staffing contributed to conditions that led to Lopez’s escape, but it’ll likely be examined. He says escaped inmates typically have assistance.

"Whether they provided them with a cell phone. Whether they provided them with food and shelter," he said.

Fifteen additional inmates were on the bus. They did not get away. TDCJ says they were seated in a secured, caged area behind the driver.

Lopez got out of his restraints and cut through the door that separates the driver’s area from the inmate area. He then stabbed the driving officer in the hand and chest.

‘Where did he get the weapon?" Vare asked.

Gonzalo Lopez manhunt: How the statewide search for escaped inmate ended in dramatic shootout

Lopez and the officer began fighting on the ground outside the bus. The second officer in the back of the bus was armed with a shotgun. He got out through the emergency back door and shot out the back tires of the bus, but Lopez was able to get back on and drive for a mile before running away.

"The fact that he was able to physically escape and then be on the run for about three weeks suggests that physically he was not debilitated yet. He was being transpired for a medical visit," Vare said.

The bus driver who was stabbed is expected to be okay.

Lopez was associated with the Mexican Mafia prison gang.