East Texas Sheriff Searching for Fleeing Murder Suspect

COLDSPRING, Texas — The San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a man who allegedly fled the scene of a murder near Willis, Texas. The sheriff said the man may be headed to the Houston area and should be considered armed and dangerous.

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers told Breitbart Texas that a man identified as 19-year-old Joshua Escobar, a U.S. citizen, is suspected in the shooting death of Sean Velasquz, also a 19-year-old U.S. citizen.

Capers said his dispatchers received a 911 call from a female shortly after noon on Friday reporting that a male subject had been shot. The shooting took place in San Jacinto County near the city of Willis.

Deputies and investigators arrived to find Velaszues lying in a pool of blood on a bed in the bedroom. Responding authorities found no signs of life while checking the victim. It appeared Velazquez sustained two gunshot wounds to the chest, Sheriff Capers reported.

Sheriff Capers and investigators from his Criminal Investigation Division arrived and began to interview the female who reported the shooting. She was later transported to the sheriff’s office for further questioning and gun residue testing.

The sheriff said that early facts reveal the decedent and the female were in a relationship and the shooter, alleged to be Escobar, was her ex-boyfriend. The female reported that Escobar shot Velasquez and then fled in a passenger vehicle headed to the Cypress, Texas, area near Houston.

Capers said officials from the San Jacinto County District Attorney’s Office also arrived at the crime scene and are assisting in the investigation.

The sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Escobar. He is believed to be driving a 2017 gray Toyota Yaris that has damage to the rear of the vehicle. The Texas license plate is RZZ-3025, the statement reports.

Sheriff Capers cautioned the public against approaching Escobar who he described as armed and dangerous. He asked that anyone with information about the suspected shooter’s whereabouts contact his office at 936-653-4367.

The bond for Escobar is currently set at $1 million.