5 Family Members Killed By Escapee In Centerville, Texas 6/03/22 Transcript

Speaker 1: (00:00)
We now know the identities of the five family members killed by an escaped inmate.

Speaker 2: (00:04)
It was a man and his four grandchildren who had just arrived to the family home in Centerville yesterday. Jason Miles is live at Tomball High School tonight where we are told all of the kids were students in Tomball ISD. Jason?

Jason Miles: (00:20)
That’s right, guys. The family lived here in the Tomball area. Their ranch home, or a little vacation getaway, was up in Leon County near Centerville. This parking lot behind Tomball High School started filling up just before 5:00. Many from the community, and mostly students coming out, to gather and grieve together. As you mentioned, we’re getting our first look at all five victims. Take a look at the photos.

One of them, 18-year-old Waylon Collins, a well-known athlete here at Tomball High School. He was killed, the family says, along with Waylon’s 16-year-old brother, Carson, and 11-year-old brother, Hudson. Their 11-year-old cousin, Bryson, also killed along with the grandfather of all four boys, 66-year-old Mark Collins.

Crime Stoppers of Houston arranged a news conference at an area church just a short time ago with the Collins family and a long-time pastor and also a friend. Here’s a little bit of what was said just a few minutes ago.

Speaker 4: (01:18)
Those kids were bright, shining stars. We coached them through baseball. These next few days are going to be tough on all of us.

Speaker 5: (01:32)
This is absolutely one of the most gut-wrenching scenarios that I’ve dealt with, and I’ve seen a lot and been through a lot. I cannot imagine what this family is going through.

Nobody can imagine what this family is going through. Can you imagine the mother and father of the three Collins brothers? Those three brothers, their only children. I stopped by the family’s home earlier. That’s also where the family’s pastor spent many hours over the last couple of days, or since last night at least. He says this is a family of deep faith, and faith will help get them through what is to so many people so, so unimaginable. Reporting live from Tomball, Jason Miles, KHOU 11 News.

Speaker 2: (02:18)
The story we’ve been following for several weeks, it turned out in the worst way possible. Jason, thank you. Today balloons placed on the fence of the property where the family was killed. Let’s go live now to Marcelino Benito as investigators made their way back to the property today. Marcelino?

Marcelino Benito: (02:38)
Well, and that’s right. This small town has been living in fear for the last three weeks as this manhunt unfolded in today. They’re just absolutely horrified and stunned as to how it ended. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office tells us that yesterday afternoon, they did find the bodies of those five family members inside a home on this ranch property near Centerville.

Now this ranch is located off Highway 7. It’s located actually just half a mile from where Gonzalo Lopez first escaped that prison bus last month. Investigators say Lopez broke into the home sometime Thursday, gained access to several firearms. He assaulted a 66-year-old grandfather, his 18-year-old grandson, and then those three other younger grandsons.

After those murders, he took their white pickup truck on the property. Hours later, he was spotted south of San Antonio. After a short police chase, he was killed in a shootout with police.

Back in Centerville, relief the manhunt is over, but grieving underway for these five family members. Neighbors and strangers have been stopping by outside the ranch to drop off flowers, balloons, and bears to pay their respects and honor the victims.

Speaker 7: (03:40)
This has been crazy, especially with having two kids of my own. It’s been scary. We moved out to the country for safety, not to have a murderer that killed five people. It’s going to be felt through the whole community.

Now there are still a lot of unanswered questions about how Lopez managed to avoid a large search effort for three weeks when he was only a half mile away from where he originally escaped. TDCJ says they will conduct a thorough review of their protocols to figure out how exactly Lopez escaped in the first place.

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office tells us this is an ongoing investigation and they’re being assisted by DPS. As soon as we get more information, we will pass it along to you. Back to you guys.

Speaker 2: (04:23)
Marcelino, thank you.

5 Family Members Killed By Escapee In Centerville, Texas 6/03/22 Transcript

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