The detention center is in Sierra Blanca, Texas, about four miles north of where the DPS spokesperson said the shooting occurred. 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. 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. Anna Giaritelli, Homeland Security Reporter, Freedom House undermines mission by downplaying genocide and terror. During the 60-minute event, the candidates stuck to the talking points that have so far dominated this election season. Crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime) Sierra Blanca violent crime is 20.8. Two of Blancas friends who had visited her at the base noted that she had talked about problems with some airman in her classes. Keep reading to find out. It was unclear late Thursday what, if any, action federal officials took after the report was released and published in The Intercept. Big fan of the pod, give me a warning next time, I want that time back! He told agents Mike Sheppard fired two rounds from a shotgun. Mike loves to hunt, the Hudspeth County sheriff, Arvin West, said in an interview at his office, where he displayed an autographed portrait of former president Donald J. Trump. Find a complete list of them here. I said Mary, I dont know this man. So, Friday night, theyre demanding action in the cell phone lot at Southwest Florida International Airport. At 28 years old, her mother said she still only stood about four-foot-eight-inches tall. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which is leading the investigation, would not answer further questions about the shooting. She was living in the Chicago, Illinois area and studying Graphic Design. Migrants shot in West Texas: A former prison warden and his home found his body buried underneath a camper top in his backyard. When they looked to see if the vehicle had driven away, they heard the two gunshots. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. They arrived around 7:30 p.m., roughly 30 minutes after the shooting. She said Mom, it will be late, but I will be home.. Justice needs to done. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Some of the migrants have said they were lured on to the flights with promises of jobs, housing and other benefits. Sierra Blanca, Texas After Glorias visit to Sheppard AFB, theAir Force released a statement that said deaths are investigated as homicides initially, but that nothing suggests that anyone on base is in danger. This statement is troublesomebecause the murder occurred within the confines of a secure military base. 'The Heads of Sierra Blanca': True Story or Fiction? Over the course of a week, the workers beat, taunted, and sexually abused the men under Sheppards leadership. Sheppard was named in an egregious 2018 report that found officials at the Sierra Blanca jail had abused 80 men in detention. I said were not talking about you man, and we can talk Spanish all we damn well want., Neely said he had never heard or had any indication that they were terribly racist type people or anything like that.. In October 2008, Gloria Barrios traveled to Texas from Chicago to get some answers, including the autopsy report, from the Air Force but she didnt get anything except a tour of the base. In a detailed voluntary statement, McDonald said he wanted to make clear he did not murder Mount. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Ms. Casias is from San Jos de Bellavista, a small town an hour and a half from San Martn. "There was no way for the killers to know who their victims were or what their legal status was," Castro said in a statement. 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. AUSTIN, Texas Two men were arrested and charged with manslaughter after an immigrant was killed and another injured when they were shot at while drinking water on the side of a road near a Texas border town. WebCrime rate in Weslaco, Texas (TX): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map. This killing was not vigilante justice, Democratic Party Chairman Gilbert Hinojosa said. Payne Lindsey said on Twitter it was fake. They drove away and attended a water board meeting. 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.. 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 A DPS spokesperson referred further questions about the shooting to prosecutors in El Paso, where jail records show the two brothers were being held. Mr. Seplveda suffered a fatal gunshot to the head. A grieving family is remembering their young boy as a ball of energy. 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. The Murder of Military Women Continues 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. Updated: 10 PM Central. For days, relatives of the two migrants have been holding a vigil across the Mexican border in Ciudad Jurez, pleading for a full account of what transpired. This is not the first time Mike Sheppard has been accused of endangering the lives of migrants. To see more, visit Texas Public Radio. 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. 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.. Heads of Sierra Blanca | iHeart 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. An arrest affidavit from the Texas Department of Public Safety obtained Friday by the Tribune says Michael Sheppard, the warden at a private immigration Abbott has waged a battle against Bidens border policy and Mexican cartels since early 2021. According to AFOSI, theFBI assistedwith the investigation. 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. Border Patrol helped trace the truck and investigators discovered the vehicle was assigned to Mike Sheppard, according to the newspaper. In Sierra Blanca you have a 1 This is wrong, wrong, wrong.. A spokesman for I.C.E. The podcast, which came out in September of 2019 is described as "an immersive experience that combines fiction, true crime and real interviews" but it seems like the fiction portion takes the cake. TX is 257 (City-Data.com crime index), which is comparable to the U.S. average. 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 They shot me, Ms. Casias can be heard saying, then adding, They are OK. Its just me and another guy. Addington said he was outraged by the shooting. Border Patrol Apprehends Interpol Murder Suspect. Mexican families demand justice for Sierra Blanca shooting victims WebSierra Blanca crime rates are 73% higher than the national average. The station is responsible for 73 border miles between the U.S. and Mexico. 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. And I didnt see their demeanor change.. My condolences to the family. 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. Texas The brothers reportedly told law enforcement they were looking for animals to shoot. 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. They spend a lot of time outdoors. Big Bend Sector Border Patrol agents, patrol 517 miles of the southwest border, an area that extends from Sierra Blanca, Texas to Sanderson, Texas. 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. Mounts family thought the State Attorney would charge McDonald with murder given the abundance of evidence and his conviction in Texas. Knapp said that was the last time she saw her daughter. 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 heard of again. An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Knapp didnt sugar coat her objections either when Mount first met Terry Daniel McDonald in late 2003. Multiple media outlets have identified the man who died as 22-year-old Jess Ivn Seplveda and the injured woman as Berenice Casias Carrillo. It was higher than in 83.3% U.S. cities. Mark Sheppard said they thought they had seen a javelina and stopped the truck. Additionally, Bahs records checks revealed that he had an active Interpol warrant for murder out of France. The U.S. Border Patrol is made up of over 19,000 brave men and women who courageously secure our nations borders. 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. 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. Grissom Airman found dead in Texas The warden and his staff were accused of beating migrants and yelling racial slurs in that 2018 report. The AFOSI referred to the death as a homicide in the media in the early stages of the investigation. The survey, conducted by the Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler, also shows most Texans are concerned about gun violence, but reflects Gov. That warden always had a good relationship with that sheriff down there, said Mr. Johnson, the former LaSalle employee. Border Patrol Apprehends Interpol Murder Suspect. DPS is also investigating a second shooting incident involving a migrant in Hudspeth County that happened on Wednesday. Call 911 and the border agents will find you.. Mark Sheppard said that they had stopped the truck because they believed they had spotted a javelina, according to the Times. Air Force identifies deceased Airman Texas men accused of manslaughter in migrant shooting Abbotts lead over Beto ORourke is widening. I think nearly anyone who knew the man is really just astonished that he used such poor judgment, he said. 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. 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. 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. 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. This wanted international fugitive attempted to remain in the U.S. illegally and was stopped by the diligent work of our Border Patrol agents.. 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. Our Town: Gloria Barrios A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The newest crime podcast to make the rounds is called The Heads of Sierra Blanca. 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. 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.. The incident is under investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Sheppard AFB security forces squadron. Border Patrol cameras helped investigators trace the truck to a home in Sierra Blanca the following day, according to law enforcement officers. Texas Air Force Reservist Found Stabbed to Death in Hotel 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. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Age <10 years 20% 10-17 years 16% 18-24 years 4% More Education Levels National Master's degree Here's what we know. At 2:00 AM on March 14, 2007, an assailant broke into her home, drugged her, and Texas As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. 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. 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. West Texas Jail Warden, Brother Arrested On Charges Of Waitresses in town also remembered Mr. Sheppard objecting to hearing Spanish spoken in his presence while eating. 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. 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. A lock ( I held my sisters bones in my hands, no brother should have to endure that, he said. Word of the shooting spread rapidly through Sierra Blanca, a pit stop for truck traffic along Interstate 10. 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. One migrant was struck in the stomach and transported to a hospital. Click Share This Page button to display social media links. And I think Im next., Her aunt replied: Where are you? Will Republicans really pick the one candidate Biden can beat? Vivek Ramaswamy calls out the brainwashing, indoctrination, and dangers of children gender transitioning, Reporters Notebook: Republicans take a hammer to Dems climate law. Knapp said one night just after the new year in 2004, Mount and McDonald left for the hotel after watching a movie. They shot us. On reddit, listeners didn't hold back at voicing their discontent. Because this death occurred on a federal installation, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) was the lead on the investigation. 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. You dont really know this man. He then changed his story and said he and his brother "looking for ducks, then changed it to birds, and then to Javelina's." Crime in Sierra Blanca, Texas - Best Places Border Patrol, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations helped in the inquiry. This was murder and attempted murder of people trying to get clean water just because of the color of their skin. He and his brother, Mark Sheppard, were arrested, jail records show. We can continue investigating where is Mary Mount, said Dan Feinberg, the current prosecutor on Mounts murder. One man was killed and a woman was injured. 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]. 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 It doesnt matter how high the ranking goes. In 2018, some of those detainees complained of abusive treatment including assaults and racial insults, according to a report by researchers from Texas A&M University School of Law, the University of Texas School of Law and Raices, a nonprofit focused on immigrant legal services. On Sept. 29, two suspects were taken into custody and charged with manslaughter. All so gross. 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. 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 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. Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, second from right, at a high school football game in Sierra Blanca, Texas, last month. Distractify is a registered trademark. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent. It felt like somebody stabbing you in the heart, recalled Mount. A truck with two men inside pulled over and shot at a group of migrants getting water along a road near the town of Sierra Blanca on Tuesday, according to the statement. The station is responsible for 73 border miles between the U.S. and Mexico. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. But then, he told Texas detectives he could take them to Mounts body. AFOSI has been the lead investigative agency since Airman Lunas death. Mount wasnt answering her phone, and eventually the calls would go straight to voicemail. 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. And then revved the engine. 5th Anniversary of Unsolved Murder on Sheppard Air Force Base 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. Mike Sheppard was identified by the News-Express as the warden of the West Texas Detention Center, which is operated by LaSalle Corrections, a private company that is contracted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to run immigration jails nationwide. McDonald has been incarcerated in Texas since being found guilty of Felipe Andrades 2005 murder. When two migrants were shot on a roadside in West Texas, the police arrested two suspects: The warden of a troubled private prison, and his brother, a local jail employee. 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. 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. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. The family believes that AFOSI did not investigate the crime with due diligence and was trying to lead them to believe Blanca committed suicide. I hunt man, he added in a grinning reference to the nature of his job in law enforcement. They always have problems with the water at the facility.. According to the arrest affidavit in the case, authorities believe Mike Shepard, the former prison warden, was the one who shot the migrants. Others recalled interactions that seemed to take on new meaning in the wake of the arrests. A woman was shot in the stomach. 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. 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. Sierra Blanca, TX. 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. Theyre [Air Force] treating me like dirt. 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. Texas 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. UPDATE:After the first report on this story in May 2018, WINK News obtained exclusive interrogation video with murder suspect Terry Daniel McDonald. Texas warden, brother accused of shooting 2 migrants - New York 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. A 2018 report detailed the experience of several Somali migrants that were detained at West Texas Detention Center, where he was the warden. Fans of the podcast 'The Heads of Sierra Blanca' are dying to know whether there is any truth to the murders of Sierra Blanca. PublishedOctober 6, 2022 at 11:10 AM CDT. 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. Change). 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. BROKEN BORDER: BIDEN IMMIGRATION POLICIES SPUR 'STAGGERING' DEATH TOLL. He later told investigators he moved there to be close to where he buried Marys body. 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. Our faith tells us to love thy neighbor, she said. 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. My son did not deserve to die this way, he said. The video is from 2004, when McDonald had been detained by police in Corpus Christi, Texas. Her aunt, Silvia Carrillo, shared an audio recording of a conversation she said she had with Ms. Casias shortly after she was shot.
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