Around sunset, two men in a pickup truck drove by, and the migrants took cover in the brush. There are soldiers killing soldiers on American soil. The facility operated by the for-profit prison company LaSalle Corrections held immigrants for ICE up until October 2019. UVALDE ROCKED BY HORRIFIC FATAL CRASH INVOLVING IMMIGRANT SMUGGLER. Im glad we found her, but if this county would have done its job, somebody wouldnt have had to die, recalled Knapp. An official website of the United States government. By, A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, dangerous anti-immigrant political rhetoric, How an anti-abortion campaign overtook a reproductive rights club on one Texas campus, Always on our minds: Austin celebrates 90 years of Willie Nelson, Severe storms are moving through the Austin area, More than a third of Texas prisons don't have air conditioning. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Hudspeth County officials said they found more than 15 bodies of migrants in the desert last year, an increase from two or three a year in previous years. Appreciate it! 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. She was living in the Chicago, Illinois area and studying Graphic Design. Javelinas are similar-looking to hogs. 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. BROKEN BORDER: BIDEN IMMIGRATION POLICIES SPUR 'STAGGERING' DEATH TOLL. Do you value our journalism? I held my sisters bones in my hands, no brother should have to endure that, he said. My gut feeling is they are looking for a culprit outside of the base, but the murderer is on the base. 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. This is a case with a lot of circumstantial evidence, that we hope to be able to sure up and charge him if he is in fact the killer, said Feinberg. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Gov. USBP agents responded and will continue aiding the investigating agencies as needed. Official websites use .gov He did not address Sheppards alleged use of the company truck. The facility still holds inmates for the U.S. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. The Lee County Sheriffs Office is holding a press conference regarding an arrest after a deadly Sunday morning shooting in Lehigh Acres. The AFOSI referred to the death as a homicide in the media in the early stages of the investigation. The FBI El Paso field office said in a statement the shooting happened in the evening of Sept. 27 in Sierra Blanca, Texas. "Definitely an intriguing and creepy plot. I dont hunt animals. Steve Knapp recalled them arriving in a small brown paper bag, and broke into tears. 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. Court records, however, did not show either of the men had been formally charged as of Thursday afternoon with a crime. The killing has prompted outrage among immigrant rights groups, with some tying the shooting to what theyve described as dangerous anti-immigrant political rhetoric. 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. The Debrief with Tim Carney: Who will take the blame for all the COVID lockdowns? "I like the true crime podcasts that are attempting to help people find answers; this podcast is not that," one listener wrote in the Pod Paradise reviews, noting that the podcast should not be classified under the true crime genre. 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? The migrants (kcbd.com) Hudspeth County, which sprawls over an area nearly the size of Connecticut, has faced a larger number of migrants trying to cross through the dangerous desert terrain, as the number of people seeking refuge in the United States has climbed sharply over the past few years. ", The eight-episode podcast is hosted by one of the victims' nieces, Magdalena Salas, who reports alongside a private investigator to research "what really happened and who is responsible.". "It's flat, meaning anything that moves, you see it. Two of Blancas friends who had visited her at the base noted that she had talked about problems with some airman in her classes. Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. This is just another example of how President Biden's open border policies continue endangering lives. 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 K-9 unit sits outside the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office in 2010. 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 What possibly could go wrong? Nearby Border Patrol agents assisted the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Department in locating the truck used during the shooting. The soldier is the 10th known Texas Guard member linked to the mission to die since its rapid expansion began in September 2021. The other was fatally struck and died at the scene. Im dying, really. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Blanca Lunas mother went to Texas but learned nothing about her daughters death on an air force base I hope and pray justice will prevail. Thats not going to bring my boy back to life. My son did not deserve to die this way, he said. I am not aware of any message boards regarding this topic. 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. 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. 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, But I dont want other people to suffer the way that we are suffering.. 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. Details Family suspects cover-up in airmans death on base The first thing that entered my mind was that anyone who held a position that he did shouldve known better, he said. home found his body buried underneath a camper top in his backyard. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In Sierra Blanca you have a 1 Domingo Garca, president of LULAC, the largest and oldest Latino civil rights organization says the shootings are the result of anti-immigrant rhetoric displayed by conservative politicians including Texas Gov. One of the alleged shooters is reportedly a warden for a privately run immigration detention center. The Sierra Blanca jail houses male and female detainees who are in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One migrant was struck in the stomach and transported to a hospital. WebCrime in Sierra Blanca, 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. Mark Sheppard said that they had stopped the truck because they believed they had spotted a javelina, according to the Times. No pictures of her in USAF uniform. A DPS spokesperson said they did not have copies of the records to release. 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 Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas three days prior to graduating and heading back home. 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. Neither responded to requests for comment. Find a complete list of them here. Indiana Airman found dead at base in Texas Click Share This Page button to display social media links. Big Bend Sector Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak said, This arrest highlights our law enforcement collaboration, including partnerships well beyond our borders. DPS is also investigating a second shooting incident involving a migrant in Hudspeth County that happened on Wednesday. There was also the fact that Magdalena had never put out a podcast before that raised some brows among seasoned true crime fans. Word of the shooting spread rapidly through Sierra Blanca, a pit stop for truck traffic along Interstate 10. To see more, visit Texas Public Radio. County officials said the I.C.E. The family believes that AFOSI did not investigate the crime with due diligence and was trying to lead them to believe Blanca committed suicide. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS He then changed his story and said he and his brother "looking for ducks, then changed it to birds, and then to Javelina's." People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. One of the places severely damaged by Hurricane Ian was Fort Myers Beach, and seven months later, theres still more to do, but theyve come a long way. In late 2005, Andrades family had not heard from him and when they showed up at his. This whole thing is disgusting, and so dismissive of actual victims and their families.". 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. Then transferred to AF Reserves. Knapp said that was the last time she saw her daughter. After release, McDonald moved to El Paso. This is a military base highly secured. The suspects have since claimed they had been out hunting birds and hogs, though statements from witnesses contradicted their claims. Our faith tells us to love thy neighbor, she said. 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. SIERRA BLANCA, Texas U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Station Now it will be a historic site, Another National Guard soldier working Operation Lone Star dies by suspected suicide, Immigration, guns and abortion dominate Abbott, ORourke debate in the Rio Grande Valley, Why theres no invasion happening on the U.S.-Mexico border, Border sheriffs coalition says 'time will tell' if Abbotts terrorist designation bears fruit, Migrant deaths at the U.S.-Mexico border hit a record high, in part due to drownings, Migrants flown from Texas to Massachusetts sue Florida Gov. Sierra Blanca, the county seat of Hudspeth County, is at the intersection of Ranch Road 1111, Interstate Highway 10, and U.S. Highway 80, eighty miles southeast of El Paso in the south central part of the county. Greg Abbotts hateful rhetoric on immigration. During the inspection, Bah was determined to be illegally present in the United States and in possession of a passport that did not belong to him. During the 60-minute event, the candidates stuck to the talking points that have so far dominated this election season. The group came out of the brush, they said, because they thought the truck had driven away. His brother stopped the truck and used his shotgun to fire two rounds toward what he thought was an animal. 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. Bah was processed according to the applicable immigration laws. Updated: 10 PM Central. Marfa Public Radio. 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. A 2018 report found officials at the Sierra Blanca facility had grievously abused 80 men who were detained at the center. And I didnt see their demeanor change.. Abbott launched a domestic terrorism taskforce in response to that shooting. Ive never gone hunting with them. 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. God sees it all and is the ultimate judge and jury. When they looked to see if the vehicle had driven away, they heard the two gunshots. Scott Sutterfield, a spokesperson for LaSalle Corrections, said in a statement that Sheppard no longer worked for the company. ABC News has confirmed that one of the men arrested was Mike Sheppard, a former warden at West Texas Detention Center. Its like theyre playing with my mind, giving me bad information. -Gloria Barrios (Blancas mom). Help us secure our homeland, find out more at. Six months after her death, no official determination was made as to the manner of death: homicide, suicide, or accident. The detention center is in Sierra Blanca, Texas, about four miles north of where the DPS spokesperson said the shooting occurred. 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. I have a Mexican-Native American background, but Mike was never ugly to me, said Paula Barrios, 39, who lived near the two brothers. Border Patrol Apprehends Interpol Murder Suspect. Death on the Border: Were Twin Brothers Hunting Migrants or Wildlife? Dead airmans family unhappy about lack of progress in case According to AFOSI, theFBI assistedwith the investigation. The vehicle allegedly was assigned to Mike Sheppard and registered to his employer. San Antonio first responders received the two calls within moments of each other Friday evening. Sheriff West was there, too. Claim: Sen. Bernie Sanders once supported a proposal to "dump nuclear waste" in the "poor Latino community" of Sierra Blanca, Texas. Authorities believe that these murders were the collateral damage of a cartel turf war that spilled into Mexico. The sprawling surrounding county, home to some 3,200 Around Sierra Blanca, the detention center was known as a good job, paying more than double what was offered at the local jail. But for 14 years, Mounts case has remained an open investigation. This has been the deadliest year ever for migrants trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. The people shot were part of a group of The Texas Rangers, the FBI and several other agencies are investigating after two migrants were shot, one fatally, in a rural county outside El Paso, Texas. This is wrong, wrong, wrong.. McDonald would later admit to stuffing Mounts lifeless body in a duffel bag and hauling it across the country. Eventually, the driver revved the trucks engine, fired a gun, climbed back into the truck and drove away. 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. Call 911 and the border agents will find you.. LockA locked padlock All so gross. Two 60-year-old brothers were arrested Thursday in connection with the shooting in Sierra Blanca Tuesday night, which is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. 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. Border Patrol helped trace the truck and investigators discovered the vehicle was assigned to Mike Sheppard, according to the newspaper. Suddenly the truck stopped, backed up and stopped again. This killing was not vigilante justice, Democratic Party Chairman Gilbert Hinojosa said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent. Additionally, Bahs records checks revealed that he had an active Interpol warrant for murder out of France. A grieving family is remembering their young boy as a ball of energy. As this is an active and ongoing investigation by the Texas Rangers, DPS said. One of the reasons we filed the report is that it wasnt just one person complaining. On Sept. 29, two suspects were taken into custody and charged with manslaughter. 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. 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. According to one detainee, the Warden Sheppard threatened him and said "Boy, I'm going to show you. And I think Im next., Her aunt replied: Where are you? On the evening of the killing, both Michael and Mark Sheppard attended a meeting of the local water board. Our Town: Gloria Barrios The wounded individual, identified by DPS only as a female, was taken to Del Sol Hospital in El Paso, where she was recovering. "Rhetoric about that we're being invaded and the replacement theory that they're spouting, all of that creates a hate. 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. 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. As he Read more 0 OSI continues to investigate March 7 death The FBI, United States Border Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations are assisting. If the Butlers had known that five people have recently disappeared from the 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. "One male immigrant was shot and killed," their statement read. We were finishing the meeting when the call came in, he added, speaking of the 911 call about the killing. The county sheriffs office refused to comment on whether Sheppard is still employed at the jail. The Hudspeth County Clerks office said Monday afternoon it still had not received any documents and had no case against the brothers formally docketed. The information is gathered by experienced and trusted Nexstar Media Group journalists hired specifically to cover the border. detainees. According to the arrest affidavit in the case, authorities believe Mike Shepard, the former prison warden, was the one who shot the migrants. The Sierra Blanca Station area of responsibility consists of more than half of Hudspeth County or about 2,500 square miles. You dont really know this man. One of the men emerged with a gun and opened fire, fatally striking Mr. Seplveda, wounding a young Mexican woman and making the southern border region around Sierra Blanca a new focal point in the nations increasingly contentious immigration debate. Waitresses in town also remembered Mr. Sheppard objecting to hearing Spanish spoken in his presence while eating. Most agreed that they just wanted transparency and would have given this podcast a listen if it hadn't been trying to pass for something it wasn't. We can continue investigating where is Mary Mount, said Dan Feinberg, the current prosecutor on Mounts murder. 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. Copyright 2022 Texas Public Radio. WebSierra Blanca crime rates are 73% higher than the national average. 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. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. As The Intercept reported in 2018, a report from three entities detailed African detainees allegations of abuse. 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. Hudspeth Sheriff Arvin West did not immediately return an email Thursday. Air Force Identifies Murdered Reservist @upandvanished I am sorta annoyed that you all promoted "The Heads of Sierra Blanca" without stating it is fiction. 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. It was a murder, and it was a hate crime.. U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Landon Hutchens released a statement Friday about the shooting. Indiana Air Force reservist found fatally stabbed in Texas The affidavit says Mike Sheppard "was reluctant to speak" about the incident and left. Over the course of a week, the workers beat, taunted, and sexually abused the men under Sheppards leadership. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston will assume lead in this investigation moving forward. Mike Thomas Sheppard, who until this week was warden of the privately run West Texas Detention Center in Sierra Blanca, and brother Mark Sheppard were arrested late Wednesday by Texas Rangers on manslaughter charges. But the migrants told investigators that the two men had taunted them in Spanish as they were hiding. 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. The family says Sepulveda is the man who was shot and killed last month in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Saturday night shooting in downtown Fort Myers under investigation. 12-year-old Lucas Roulston loved to be outside and had a huge smile. Marshals, county records showed. The shooting happened near the small town of Sierra Blanca, Texas. This is pissing me off, he said. The Sheppards, both 60, were arrested and booked into the El Paso County Jail after 6 a.m. Thursday, according to online records. I think theres often a credibility bias toward law enforcement, said Fatma E. Marouf, one of the reports authors and a law professor at Texas A&M University. Sheppard was named in an egregious 2018 report that found officials at the Sierra Blanca jail had abused 80 men in detention. The warden of a West Texas federal jail for immigrants has been fired after he and a brother allegedly shot at migrants drinking water along a roadside in Hudspeth U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. It felt like somebody stabbing you in the heart, recalled Mount.

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