When they interviewed his brother, Mark Sheppard, he initially said he was never at the location where the shooting happened. An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Neither of the men went to check if they had struck anything and denied having yelled after exiting the truck. Austin Music Experience | All Austin musicians and artists | KUTX HD2, Texas Music Experience | Listen anytime at tmx.fm | KUTX HD3, Texas Public Radio | 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. It's unclear if the two incidents are related. She was in the Marines. Then transferred to AF Reserves. 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. 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 stormy morning gives way to a sunny afternoon. Within three weeks, the Lee County Sheriffs Office located McDonald in Corpus Christi Texas with Mounts car, jewelry and credit cards. 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.. Border Patrol agents, patrol 517 miles of the southwest border, an area that extends from Sierra Blanca, Texas to Sanderson, Texas. AFOSI has been the lead investigative agency since Airman Lunas death. Fans of the podcast 'The Heads of Sierra Blanca' are dying to know whether there is any truth to the murders of Sierra Blanca. We can continue investigating where is Mary Mount, said Dan Feinberg, the current prosecutor on Mounts murder. does not care about record high numbers of illegal immigrants. I saw them that same night at the water board, nothing out of the ordinary, the sheriff said. A woman was shot in the stomach. I can start a new life, a new future with somebody and this guy he fit the bill, said Steve Knapp. The FBI said there is no pending threat to public safety at this time. All so gross. One of the alleged shooters is reportedly a warden for a privately run immigration detention center. 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. 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. Eventually, the driver revved the trucks engine, fired a gun, climbed back into the truck and drove away. The migrants (kcbd.com) Military probes reservists slaying Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. 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. It is also at the junction of the Southern Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads. According to AFOSI, theFBI assistedwith the investigation. Eventually, the family learned from the autopsy report that the official manner of death was considered undetermined. "While people need to evaluate what they are hearing I dont think you do yourselves any favors by lying to your audience," they continued. Neely said he had not received any new details about the investigation beyond what has been already reported in the news. The brothers, meanwhile, later suggested to authorities that they were in the area hunting, though investigators said one of the brothers changed details of his story multiple times. WebSierra Blanca crime rates are 73% higher than the national average. The affidavit says he also told agents he asked Mike Sheppard "did you get him?" Once you get to know them, they are nice people.. The deputy said Mark Sheppard no longer had a job there. The Sheppard brothers, both 60, were taken into custody late last month, and charged with manslaughter. She was taken to a local hospital in Wichita Falls where she died shortly thereafter. At one point, the driver revved the engine. 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 station is responsible for 73 border miles between the U.S. and Mexico. Others recalled interactions that seemed to take on new meaning in the wake of the arrests. But I dont want other people to suffer the way that we are suffering.. The fatal confrontation took place on Tuesday night near the town of Sierra Blanca in west Texas. 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. They spend a lot of time outdoors. home found his body buried underneath a camper top in his backyard. Gloriahad questions about the bruises, defensive wounds, and the fluid found near Blancas groin but never received any answers. SIERRA BLANCA, Texas U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Station It was higher than in 83.3% U.S. cities. I said Mary, I dont know this man. "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. 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. 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. Authorities believe that these murders were the collateral damage of a cartel turf war that spilled into Mexico. Blanca Lunas mother went to Texas but learned nothing about her daughters death on an air force base He was hunting immigrants.". They always have problems with the water at the facility.. Big Bend Sector Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak said, This arrest highlights our law enforcement collaboration, including partnerships well beyond our borders. The brothers, who were charged with manslaughter, were in a truck when they pulled over and shot at a group of migrants, according to DPS. Border Report reached out to DPS for confirmation of the victims 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. By James Dobbins,J. David Goodman and Edgar Sandoval. Air Force Identifies Murdered Reservist Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. The Air Force cannot guarantee the bases safety when they do not even know who committed the crime. He denied yelling anything. This is problematic because instead of listing the death as an unsolved murder or cold case, it can be written off as a suicide and never investigated again. Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, second from right, at a high school football game in Sierra Blanca, Texas, last month. Mike Sheppard was accused of punching a man in the face and kicking him while he was handcuffed on the ground in solitary confinement, according to The Intercept. The facility still holds inmates for the U.S. She was a 24-year-old single waitress who lived alone. He moved in with Felipe Andrade, a man in his early 60s, who according to news reports had a history of taking in transients. They said the men used profanity as they shouted at them to come out and opened fire when they emerged. This is just another example of how President Biden's open border policies continue endangering lives. Ive never gone hunting with them. OSI continues to investigate March 7 death 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. 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. Tuesdays incident drew condemnation from Texas Democratic Party and a caucus of Hispanic lawmakers. The brothers, the Sheppards, were taken into custody and remain in jail in El Paso. Official websites use .gov As this is an active and ongoing investigation by the Texas Rangers, DPS said. This whole thing is disgusting, and so dismissive of actual victims and their families.". 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. 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. Mother of Murdered Female Airman To Request Meeting on Oct. 3 with Sheppard Air Force Base officials on Status of Investigation 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Keep reading to find out. 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. This was murder and attempted murder of people trying to get clean water just because of the color of their skin. We were finishing the meeting when the call came in, he added, speaking of the 911 call about the killing. Additionally, Bahs records checks revealed that he had an active Interpol warrant for murder out of France. The Intercept reported the allegations more than four years ago. The Murder of Military Women Continues The other was fatally struck and died at the scene. 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. He then changed his story and said he and his brother "looking for ducks, then changed it to birds, and then to Javelina's." U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Landon Hutchens released a statement Friday about the shooting. contract had been ended because of the water issues, which stemmed from a problem obtaining adequate supply from a nearby town. A DPS spokesperson said they did not have copies of the records to release. did not respond to a request for comment. 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, The soldier is the 10th known Texas Guard member linked to the mission to die since its rapid expansion began in September 2021. He was released with time served. The status of the criminal case against the brothers remains unclear. Suspicious death: Student airman with stab wound dies in hospital God sees it all and is the ultimate judge and jury. How do you think Fort Myers Beach should spend its share of $1.1 billion. 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. 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. Will Republicans really pick the one candidate Biden can beat? An arrest affidavit from the Texas Department of Public Safety obtained Friday by the Tribune says Michael Sheppard, the warden at a private immigration Greg Abbotts hateful rhetoric on immigration. 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. These individuals need to be held accountable. 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. Theyre [Air Force] treating me like dirt. 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. Who turned off the cameras? Sheppard was specifically accused of punching and kicking a man as he was handcuffed and in solitary confinement, the Intercept reported. It had to be someone affiliated with the base that either lives and/or works there. They turned their back on her, said Knapp. Eight years later, the case is still considered under investigation and highlights the need for cold case squads in the military. Ill see how I get out of this one, Ms. Casias said. Im dying, really. Employees with Uber and Lyft said theyre not getting paid enough, taking high gas prices and inflation into account. Warden of Texas immigrant jail fired after arrest for shooting 2 migrants, SAPD calls: Body in flooded creek; man dead after hit by train. 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]. 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 Heads of Sierra Blanca': True Story or Fiction? The migrants were standing near a water tank along a farm when The facility operated by the for-profit prison company LaSalle Corrections held immigrants for ICE up until October 2019. But he waited until last week to create a cartel division at Texas DPS. At 2:00 AM on March 14, 2007, an assailant broke into her home, drugged her, and 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 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. 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. Vivek Ramaswamy calls out the brainwashing, indoctrination, and dangers of children gender transitioning, Reporters Notebook: Republicans take a hammer to Dems climate law. 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. Two of the men were waving and asking for help while a third, was suffering from a gunshot wound to his face. His brother stopped the truck and used his shotgun to fire two rounds toward what he thought was an animal. The detention center is in Sierra Blanca, Texas, about four miles north of where the DPS spokesperson said the shooting occurred. "Rhetoric about that we're being invaded and the replacement theory that they're spouting, all of that creates a hate. Payne Lindsey said on Twitter it was fake. 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 The public defender successfully moved to keep out information regarding any speculation that Mary was dead. The truck drove toward the group and then backed up before at least one man got out. PublishedOctober 6, 2022 at 11:10 AM CDT. One man was killed and a woman was injured. According to a DPS spokesperson, a DPS trooper encountered three males in the center median of Interstate 10. 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 in Sierra Blanca, Texas. 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. Sheppard was named in an egregious 2018 report that found officials at the Sierra Blanca jail had abused 80 men in detention. Some people in town have expressed shock, saying the brothers had never displayed any sort of racial animus. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel. 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. 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. On Friday afternoon, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) called the incident a "hate crime against brown-skinned immigrants that was inspired by the invasion rhetoric" from Gov. Garca grew up near the region where these two shootings occurred this week. The video is from 2004, when McDonald had been detained by police in Corpus Christi, Texas. 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. Calls for Gov. The men initially stated they had been looking for ducks and pivoted to searching for birds before finally looking for javelinas. Upon hearing a truck approaching, the group tried to hide. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. She was a Marine from 1997 to 2002 and then became a Reservist in 2007 at the 434rd Civil Engineer Squadron, Grissom Air Reserve Base in Indiana. Bah was processed according to the applicable immigration laws. Do you value our journalism? Neely, the Hudspeth County Judge, said in an interview he was shocked by the shooting. Five years later, still with no answers, Gloria Barrios was battling depression and hospitalized. He shot a woman in the stomach and he basically hit one of the immigrants in the head. 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. CreditIvan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times. Mounts family feels every year that goes by is another year that someone got away with murder. It's time for President Biden to do his job and stop this humanitarian crisis by securing our southern border. Violent crimes in Sierra Blanca are 73% higher than the national average. She was living in the Chicago, Illinois area and studying Graphic Design. The vehicle allegedly was assigned to Mike Sheppard and registered to his employer. Nearby Border Patrol agents assisted the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Department in locating the truck used during the shooting. Michael Sheppard fired two shots with a shotgun, according to the affidavits. 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. Blancas mom feels that this is a cover-up. 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. 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.. 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. Dead airmans family unhappy about lack of progress in case "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. Saturday night shooting in downtown Fort Myers under investigation. 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. 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. People have died in our state just based on the color of their skin in El Paso three years ago, and now in our neighboring Hudspeth County. It found that officers used racist epithets and engaged in hate crimes. A 2018 report found officials at the Sierra Blanca facility had grievously abused 80 men who were detained at the center. "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. My son did not deserve to die this way, Napolen Seplveda Moreno said in an interview last week. (LogOut/ Blancas momwants answers from military officials, and she wants them to classify Lunas death as a homicide and find the culprit. 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. Six months later they would be accused of leading the family to believe it was a suicide despite evidencesuggesting otherwise. 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. Indiana Air Force reservist found fatally stabbed in Texas As The Intercept reported in 2018, a report from three entities detailed African detainees allegations of abuse. The Sierra Blanca Station area of responsibility consists of more than half of Hudspeth County or about 2,500 square miles. According to authorities, Mike and Mark Sheppard both facing manslaughter charges in the Sept. 27 shooting encountered a group of 13 migrants off a rural road south of Interstate 10 just after 9 p.m., stopped their truck and then began shooting at the group. It doesnt matter how high the ranking goes. Hundreds have drowned in the Rio Grande or perished from extreme heat in failed smuggling attempts. The Lee County Sheriffs Office is holding a press conference regarding an arrest after a deadly Sunday morning shooting in Lehigh Acres. The people shot were part of a group of (The US average is 22.7) Sierra Blanca When Mounts remains were discovered, they were severely decomposed. As of Tuesday, both men were again in custody, this time closer to home at the Hudspeth County jail. More than 10,000 vehicles travel through the Sierra Blanca checkpoint on a daily basis. 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. Details A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office notified them of a shooting death on Tuesday and reported that a preliminary investigation shows that a truck with two men inside pulled over and shot at a group of migrants standing alongside the road getting water. 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 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.