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. "Given that podcasts are used for all kinds of content both fiction and non-fiction, I think the creators need to be open about what they're making," a redditor noted. He later told investigators he moved there to be close to where he buried Marys body. Details Until his arrest, Mike Sheppard was the warden at the West Texas Detention Center, a nearby federal prison run by the company LaSalle Corrections which used to house detained migrants for the federal government and has been the subject of serious abuse allegations in recent years. There was also the fact that Magdalena had never put out a podcast before that raised some brows among seasoned true crime fans. Authorities believe that these murders were the collateral damage of a cartel turf war that spilled into Mexico. Court documents filed Thursday state that the shooting took place 4 miles south of the Sierra Blanca exit on Interstate 10, which connects El Paso to San Antonio. Authorities found the injured woman roughly two hours after the attack. Vivek Ramaswamy calls out the brainwashing, indoctrination, and dangers of children gender transitioning, Reporters Notebook: Republicans take a hammer to Dems climate law. Mr. Seplveda suffered a fatal gunshot to the head. He did not address Sheppards alleged use of the company truck. 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. So he knew what he was shooting at. In late 2005, Andrades family had not heard from him and when they showed up at his. A 2018 report detailed the experience of several Somali migrants that were detained at West Texas Detention Center, where he was the warden. Even though Mary had not been seen or heard from by her family or friends in weeks, the State Attorney did not charge McDonald with anything related to her disappearance. Eight years later, the case is still considered under investigation and highlights the need for cold case squads in the military. Abbotts lead over Beto ORourke is widening. 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. (LogOut/ 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. 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. It was unclear late Thursday what, if any, action federal officials took after the report was released and published in The Intercept. 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.. I have a Mexican-Native American background, but Mike was never ugly to me, said Paula Barrios, 39, who lived near the two brothers. The Hudspeth County Clerks office said Monday afternoon it still had not received any documents and had no case against the brothers formally docketed. Suspicious death: Student airman with stab wound dies in hospital The company spokesman, Scott Sutterfield, said the detention center currently did not have I.C.E. 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. Anna Giaritelli, Homeland Security Reporter, Freedom House undermines mission by downplaying genocide and terror. WebThe first victim was Lorena Sallas. The migrants (kcbd.com) The affidavit says migrants told federal agents they overheard one of the men yell in Spanish something to the effect of "Come out you sons of b----s, little a--s!" The affidavit says he also told agents he asked Mike Sheppard "did you get him?" 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. A jury found McDonald not guilty on burglary, but guilty on trespassing, for entering Knapps home without permission. The wounded individual, identified by DPS only as a female, was taken to Del Sol Hospital in El Paso, where she was recovering. A subsequent investigation by the Office of the Inspector General for the federal Department of Homeland Security could not substantiate the detainees claims. Do you think The Heads of Sierra Blanca should have been more forthcoming and transparent? His brother stopped the truck and used his shotgun to fire two rounds toward what he thought was an animal. The public defender successfully moved to keep out information regarding any speculation that Mary was dead. Two of Blancas friends who had visited her at the base noted that she had talked about problems with some airman in her classes. RAICES, the organization that helped to author the 2018 report about Sheppard and the West Texas Detention Center, released a statement. This is just another example of how President Biden's open border policies continue endangering lives. The Debrief with Tim Carney: Who will take the blame for all the COVID lockdowns? The Debrief with Hugo Gurdon: Why nobody wants a rematch of Trump and Biden in 2024, Reporters Notebook: Biden makes 2024 campaign official. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. 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. 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. Mark Sheppard told agents that he did not report to law enforcement authorities when they found out a migrant had been killed at the location where they were shooting. But for 14 years, Mounts case has remained an open investigation. Saturday night shooting in downtown Fort Myers under investigation. Knapp said a homicide detective was assigned to the case after Mount failed to show for a divorce proceeding with her estranged husband. Greg Abbott. She was an Air Force Reservist on temporary duty at Sheppard AFB attending a technical training course for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC). 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. 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. 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. Help us secure our homeland, find out more at cbp.gov/careers. Steve Knapp recalled them arriving in a small brown paper bag, and broke into tears. 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. 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. contract had been ended because of the water issues, which stemmed from a problem obtaining adequate supply from a nearby town. Very good site you have here but I was curious if you knew of any message boards that cover the same topics talked about in this article? Air Force Identifies Murdered Reservist Distractify is a registered trademark. This whole thing is disgusting, and so dismissive of actual victims and their families.". U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Landon Hutchens released a statement Friday about the shooting. The newest crime podcast to make the rounds is called The Heads of Sierra Blanca. Copyright 2023 Fort Myers Broadcasting. More than 10,000 vehicles travel through the Sierra Blanca checkpoint on a daily basis. The station is responsible for 73 border miles between the U.S. and Mexico. He was hunting immigrants.". An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. At AFOSIs request, the FBI sent an evidence response team to process the scene immediately after Airman Luna was found, and the two agencies have continued to cooperate in the investigation. Border Patrol cameras helped investigators trace the truck to a home in Sierra Blanca the following day, according to law enforcement officers. Warden of Texas immigrant jail fired after arrest for shooting 2 migrants, SAPD calls: Body in flooded creek; man dead after hit by train. Our Town: Gloria Barrios I know that. The fatal confrontation took place on Tuesday night near the town of Sierra Blanca in west Texas. 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. 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. 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. Related Links: It is also at the junction of the Southern Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads. Officials continue to be tight-lipped about the details of the case, citing an ongoing investigation. He moved in with Felipe Andrade, a man in his early 60s, who according to news reports had a history of taking in transients. Employees with Uber and Lyft said theyre not getting paid enough, taking high gas prices and inflation into account. They are good guys. You're my b---h" and told another detainee "now you belong to me, boy.". Authorities later arrested Erick Garibaldi, 26, of Fort Hancock in connection with the shooting. My son did not deserve to die this way, Napolen Seplveda Moreno said in an interview last week. Age <10 years 20% 10-17 years 16% 18-24 years 4% More Education Levels National Master's degree The shooting happened near the small town of Sierra Blanca, Texas. WINK News reached out to McDonald and his attorney for comment but did not hear back. It was dozens of people complaining.. 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. 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]. Death on the Border: Were Twin Brothers Hunting Migrants or Wildlife? Scott Sutterfield, a spokesman for Louisiana-based LaSalle Corrections, confirmed via email that Sheppard no longer worked for the company. They initially determined that it was a homicide and investigated it as a crime. The Latino advocacy groups also announced it will ask the U.S. Department of Justice to look into the flights that immigrants rights groups claimed were nothing more than political stunts. Neither of the men went to check if they had struck anything and denied having yelled after exiting the truck. In an unsigned email response Thursday evening, the El Paso district attorneys office told the Tribune to contact DPS for the affidavits. At 2:00 AM on March 14, 2007, an assailant broke into her home, drugged her, and OSI continues to investigate March 7 death 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. He then changed his story and said he and his brother "looking for ducks, then changed it to birds, and then to Javelina's." Two men are accused of manslaughter after two migrants were shot in Hudspeth County this week. Mounts family feels every year that goes by is another year that someone got away with murder. They arrived around 7:30 p.m., roughly 30 minutes after the shooting. 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. Sheppard was specifically accused of punching and kicking a man as he was handcuffed and in solitary confinement, the Intercept reported. 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. 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. 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. 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. Big Bend Sector Border Patrol agents, patrol 517 miles of the southwest border, an area that extends from Sierra Blanca, Texas to Sanderson, Texas. 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. Mount was going through a divorce with her husband and moved home with Knapp in the last months of her life. The alleged shooting took place on September 27 near Sierra Blanca, Texas. 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 U.S. Border Patrol is made up of over 19,000 brave men and women who courageously secure our nations borders. Updated: 10 PM Central. I said now you got a body, what are you going to do?. No suspects were ever identified. Sierra Blanca, TX. Later, the murder was blamed on cartels and turf wars, but Magdalena wasn't buying that coverup story. Find a complete list of them here. Military probes reservists slaying It felt like somebody stabbing you in the heart, recalled Mount. 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. A male migrant was fatally shot, a Texas DPS spokesperson said. ABC News has confirmed that one of the men arrested was Mike Sheppard, a former warden at West Texas Detention Center. It had to be someone affiliated with the base that either lives and/or works there. Sierra Blanca Border Patrol agents encountered an individual by the name of Marouana Bah, a 30-year-old citizen of France, while conducting immigration inspections on board a passenger bus at the Sierra Blanca Immigration Checkpoint. At 28 years old, her mother said she still only stood about four-foot-eight-inches tall. Six months after her death, no official determination was made as to the manner of death: homicide, suicide, or accident. Thus, the pod investigates the "truth" week after week. In 2004, McDonald was extradited from Texas to Fort Myers to face charges. She was living in the Chicago, Illinois area and studying Graphic Design. She said someone had been inside her home, and Mounts jewelry and computer were missing. I hope and pray justice will prevail. They drove away and attended a water board meeting. The migrants had been drinking from a water tank along the roadside and tried to hide behind the tank during the incident late Tuesday. WebEl Paso, Texas 63.1 miles from Sierra Blanca, TX Magic Landing Amusement Park stood abandoned since 1989, and was demolished in 2012. As The Intercept reported in 2018, a report from three entities detailed African detainees allegations of abuse. Murder 6.1 Rape 40.7 Robbery 135.5 Property Crimes Calculated annually per 100,000 residents National Burglary 500.1 Theft 2,042.8 Motor Vehicle Theft 284 Residents Diversity B Based on ethnic and economic diversity. Because this death occurred on a federal installation, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) was the lead on the investigation. Around sunset, two men in a pickup truck drove by, and the migrants took cover in the brush. by Alejandro Serrano, Uriel J. Garca and William Melhado Mounts family thought the State Attorney would charge McDonald with murder given the abundance of evidence and his conviction in Texas. The killing has prompted outrage among immigrant rights groups, with some tying the shooting to what theyve described as dangerous anti-immigrant political rhetoric. 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. I held my sisters bones in my hands, no brother should have to endure that, he said. Javelinas are similar-looking to hogs. One detainee accused the warden, who was Mr. Sheppard at the time, of hitting and kicking him; another said he had used racial insults. Dan Patrick (R-TX). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Cold Case: Air Force Reservist SrA Blanca Luna Discovered Stabbed to Death in Base Lodging at Sheppard AFB in Texas(2008), Suspicious death: Student airman with stab wound dies in hospital, Texas Air Force Reservist Found Stabbed to Death in Hotel, Indiana Air Force reservist found fatally stabbed in Texas, Indiana Airman found dead at base in Texas, OSI continues to investigate March 7 death, Mother of Murdered Female Airman To Request Meeting on Oct. 3 with Sheppard Air Force Base officials on Status of Investigation, Blanca Lunas mother went to Texas but learned nothing about her daughters death on an air force base, Dead airmans family unhappy about lack of progress in case, Family suspects cover-up in airmans death on base, 5th Anniversary of Unsolved Murder on Sheppard Air Force Base, Find a Grave: Blanca Adriana Luna (1980 2008), Grozinger Law PA criminal attorney orlando fl. According to one detainee, the Warden Sheppard threatened him and said "Boy, I'm going to show you. Blanca Lunas mother went to Texas but learned nothing about her daughters death on an air force base According to the arrest affidavit in the case, authorities believe Mike Shepard, the former prison warden, was the one who shot the migrants. God sees it all and is the ultimate judge and jury. SIERRA BLANCA, Texas U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Station That warden always had a good relationship with that sheriff down there, said Mr. Johnson, the former LaSalle employee. They said the men used profanity as they shouted at them to come out and opened fire when they emerged. 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Austin Music Experience | All Austin musicians and artists | KUTX HD2, Texas Music Experience | Listen anytime at tmx.fm | KUTX HD3, Texas Public Radio | Neely, the Hudspeth County Judge, said in an interview he was shocked by the shooting. 12-year-old Lucas Roulston loved to be outside and had a huge smile. 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. When Mounts remains were discovered, they were severely decomposed. 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. Calls for Gov. 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. Cracking down on antisemitic acts in Florida, all the way from Isreal, after a new law protects people by hardening punishment for antisemitism. Border Patrol helped trace the truck and investigators discovered the vehicle was assigned to Mike Sheppard, according to the newspaper. 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. 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. Others recalled interactions that seemed to take on new meaning in the wake of the arrests. Sierra Blanca abandoned truck stop was the second scariest place weve stayed. @upandvanished I am sorta annoyed that you all promoted "The Heads of Sierra Blanca" without stating it is fiction. Neither responded to requests for comment. The Air Force cannot guarantee the bases safety when they do not even know who committed the crime. They spend a lot of time outdoors. Fans of the podcast 'The Heads of Sierra Blanca' are dying to know whether there is any truth to the murders of Sierra Blanca. AFOSI has been the lead investigative agency since Airman Lunas death. Scott Sutterfield, a spokesperson for LaSalle Corrections, said in a statement that Sheppard no longer worked for the company. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. And then revved the engine. The FBI El Paso field office said in a statement the shooting happened in the evening of Sept. 27 in Sierra Blanca, Texas. 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. A 2018 report found officials at the Sierra Blanca facility had grievously abused 80 men who were detained at the center. 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. Bill Addington a Sierra Blanca resident, activist and critic of the local prison said he didnt know either of the brothers very well, but he did interact with Mark Sheppard on a regular basis at a weekly food bank event. Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro called the shooting It doesnt matter how high the ranking goes. 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. This has been the deadliest year ever for migrants trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Blancas momwants answers from military officials, and she wants them to classify Lunas death as a homicide and find the culprit. Mark Sheppard said they thought they had seen a javelina and stopped the truck. Murder on the Base? 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. Im dying, really. Eventually, the driver revved the trucks engine, fired a gun, climbed back into the truck and drove away. The brothers, the Sheppards, were taken into custody and remain in jail in El Paso. One man was killed and a woman was injured. Big fan of the pod, give me a warning next time, I want that time back! The soldier is the 10th known Texas Guard member linked to the mission to die since its rapid expansion began in September 2021. As of Tuesday, both men were again in custody, this time closer to home at the Hudspeth County jail. Mother of Murdered Female Airman To Request Meeting on Oct. 3 with Sheppard Air Force Base officials on Status of Investigation Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. Two of the men were waving and asking for help while a third, was suffering from a gunshot wound to his face. The sprawling county, home to some 3,200 people, is more than three-quarters Hispanic, and spreads over an area nearly the size of Connecticut. The county sheriffs office refused to comment on whether Sheppard is still employed at the jail. But the migrants told investigators that the two men had taunted them in Spanish as they were hiding. The FBI, United States Border Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations are assisting.
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