Texas Inmate Escapee Still On The Run, Now $50,000 Reward Being Offered

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The reward to find escaped Texas inmate Gonzalo Lopez, has been increased by Texas law enforcement departments.

Authorities are hoping that increasing the reward money, will bring them closer to capturing the inmate who escaped from a transport bus last Thursday (May 12th) in central Texas. The reward was initially set at $22,500 but has now been increased to $50,000.

Six-foot-tall Gonzalo Lopez was serving a life sentence for the capital murder of a man along the Texas-Mexico border in 2006 and for attempted capital murder. He and 16 other prisoners were being transported to a medical facility for appointments on a TDCJ bus.

Authorities are still trying to determine how Gonzalo Lopez came into possession of some kind of tool to break free of his restraints. Once free he was then able to attack and stab the transport driver through a protective cage causing the driver to crash the bus in a rural area in Leon County (between Dallas and Houston). Thankfully the bus driver's injuries weren't considered life-threatening.

Law enforcement has been searching for him using canines, horseback, and air support since his escape. The Leon County Sheriff's Office says via Facebook,

We have no reason to believe he has left the area, there is no evidence to support that, at this time."

They continue to search the area where the bus crash happened, along Highway 7 between Centerville and Robbins, Texas.

All tipsters can remain anonymous with any information they call into Texas Crime Stoppers at 1.800.832.8477