https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/tomball-isd-family-killed-in-centerville-texas/285-ad1274ed-db15-4c2e-b2d0-54948156479c

Kids were 18, 16, 11, and 11.

Would it be ok to post a Venmo here, set up for the family? I'm not going to post family names, but it is being run by a family member who works for the company.

In the notes, you can see the donations are being made for "Centerville family".

But I don't want to post unless it's ok.

@Staff?

[Email moderator@texags.com to request for approval. Thanks. - Staff]

Emailed. Thanks.

Man sounds like this was/is the model family, leading out front. They've touched many lives that I'm close with.

Lots of people paying respects at the entrance to the property today. Heartbreaking to be honest…

Quote:

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The four Houston-area children who were found dead inside a home in Centerville were identified as students who attended the Tomball Independent School District, the district revealed. Their 66-year-old grandfather was also among those slain.

According to Crime Stoppers of Houston, the victims were identified as Mark Collins, 66; Waylon Collins, 18; Carson Collins, 16; Hudson Collins, 11; and Bryson Collins, 11.

"What has happened to the Collins family is just unspeakable," family friend David Crain said. "Those kids were bright shining stars. We coached them through baseball, and these next few days are going to be tough on all of us."

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https://www.click2houston.com/news/2022/06/03/4-houston-area-children-killed-by-escaped-texas-inmate-attended-tomball-isd-district-says/

The GFM page is linked at the link above.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/k55wgw-the-collins-family?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&fbclid=IwAR2f30NL9_7SFJaoA4rgJdecWO0fKKWaDhIFOAK5myk3EBKWY5M3li7fFQs&fs=e&s=cl

Take it down if I don't have approval.

Would appreciate it if you left it up. A family full of Aggies and dear friends.

Edit: I didn't see the post above. Thank you Rapier08.

A few things from the family press conference:

1. I have never seen Andy Kahan had shaken as he was today. He has been the victims rights advocate in Harris County since god was a child.

2. David Crain, the family friend/homicide investigator made it painfully obvious they have not been in contact with TDCJ.

3. Someone mentioned a few pages ago that there was a renewed focus on the area earlier this week, and that no public announcement was made (reasoning that the family would not have gone if they had known the search was still active). Crain said that the house next door had been broken into a day or two before. They didn't learn that until last night, and they learned it from the Rangers.

My dad and my father in law were high-ranking administrators in TDCJ a few decades ago. I grew up on prisons. I know a bit about escapes and the searches that are conducted. I also know a bit about the management of TDCJ, and how it has plummeted in recent years.

This was preventable. This was preventable on so many levels. I don't know why I am dwelling on this, but the loss of these five people was so easy to avoid.

There were only two COs. There were supposed to be three. The one in the back was over the age of 60.

The route was not random, as it was supposed to be.

The trips were scheduled, which they weren't supposed to be.

Lopez was put in the same seat each trip, possibly allowing him to manipulate the bar at the bottom which he was shackled to.

He got his handcuffs off. He got his shackles off.

He climbed under the grate that was his enclosure. While the 60+ year old CO does what?

He makes it to the front of the bus, where he is able to bypass the grate which protects the driver.

Gets out, wrestles with the CO in the back, runs off.

TDCJ doesn't show up with hounds for two hours. The main dogs are kept at the Wynne Farm, which is an hour and a half on a slow day from Centerville.

By the time they arrive, they announce the scene has been cross-contaminated and the hounds will not be of use.

Lopez spotted on game cameras. TDCJ spox Robert Hurst publicly insists that they have no evidence Lopez has left the area, and says the search of this perimeter will continue.

Later that day, TDCJ announces they are scaling back the search; employees have to return to regular jobs. Skeleton crew left to search.

A few days later, Lopez murders this poor family in their home, which is a half mile from the original crash.

Hell, there was a ceremony scheduled to take place today at TDCJ's administration building to rename it after the most recent Executive Director. It wasn't canceled until last night at 7:30. I know this because my dad received the auto-call that it was cancelled.

Even if that ceremony was planned months ago, why was it not quietly cancelled after the escape, when it was obvious he was not going to be found by today?

I get that the CO salary is crap. No one wants to work such a terrible job for such ****ty pay. A lot of people don't even want to work. But Jesus H. Christ, when your sole reason for existence is to keep felons incarcerated, figure out how to do it.

((Climbs off my soapbox))

This is devastating

I actually stayed in that house a few years ago where those people were murdered. My father in law was a preacher and was close friends with Mr. Collins (senior) through church. Just a beautiful piece of land. God bless the Collins family. Just tragic.

JB!98 said:

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Alte Schule said:

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Jbob04 said:

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I saw a photo of the scene and body but I didn't see many bullet holes. Who knows if it was real though

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6
5.56 rounds make very small entrance wounds. If you enlarge the picture you can see a couple of small holes near his navel. But I could be wrong. Either way he's sitting on Satan's knee now.

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Any idea where in Jourdanton this happened? I looked today and couldn't find any ruts or broken fences on either side of that Dairy Queen. The truck is at the Atascosa County Sheriffs office.

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North Hwy. 16 and Cypress St. near the church.

This is one of the worst stories I can remember. I'm so torn up for a family I don't even know. May God guide them through this.

Alte Schule said:

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JB!98 said:

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Alte Schule said:

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Jbob04 said:

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I saw a photo of the scene and body but I didn't see many bullet holes. Who knows if it was real though

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6
5.56 rounds make very small entrance wounds. If you enlarge the picture you can see a couple of small holes near his navel. But I could be wrong. Either way he's sitting on Satan's knee now.

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Any idea where in Jourdanton this happened? I looked today and couldn't find any ruts or broken fences on either side of that Dairy Queen. The truck is at the Atascosa County Sheriffs office.

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North Hwy. 16 and Cypress St. near the church.

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I read this story last night. I just came back and caught up. I'm just sick from all of this.

I pray the family is somehow able to find peace. I simply can't fathom the parents, sending the kids to the ranch with grandpa.

Man I thought that the convict had broken in awhile ago and that this was just the family showing up and him being ready… wow. I drove by there on my Dallas to Houston commute and this house is maybe the 3rd property just west of I45 (if it was the one with the ranger standing at the gate off 7). Unbelievable that he wasn't found this close to where he escaped.

I assumed just as you said, that the killer was holed up on the property and the victims showed up for the weekend. What did I miss?

Yep. That's the one. There's no doubt in my mind it was just a matter of time before he made his way to my house if he hadn't been there already and failed to enter.

Uvalde and this tragedy are just more examples of how, IMO, incompetence has become the norm for most levels of the workplace and people in charge. A half mile from the escape site yet weeks of not finding this guy? Not letting the public know about the recent activity in the area? No excuses. Do your damn job, people.

Just to add to my previous post. Lopez was observed on a series of traffic monitoring cameras in the San Antonio area and law enforcement knew he was headed south. Atascosa Sherrif Deputies posted up on North Hwy 16 about six seven miles from Jourdanton. When they spotted him the deputies went into "stealth" mode, followed at a distance, and radioed his position. Other deputies set a trap with spike strips just inside the Jourdanton city limits that blew out all four tires. A running gun battle ensued with Lopez firing through his driver side window Lopez, maybe hit, lost control and struck two telephone poles. For whatever reason he stopped shooting and threw his rifle out opening the truck door at the same time He then stepped out and was properly ventilated several times by four deputies. Don't know how many times he was hit but he received a massive head wound to the right side of his head.

High fives all around to the Anascosa SO. Saved the State of Texas a lot of money.

Maybe he was giving himself up, but I am glad that offer was not accepted.

Alte Schule said:

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Just to add to my previous post. Lopez was observed on a series of traffic monitoring cameras in the San Antonio area and law enforcement knew he was headed south. Atascosa Sherrif Deputies posted up on North Hwy 16 about six seven miles from Jourdanton. When they spotted him the deputies went into "stealth" mode, followed at a distance, and radioed his position. Other deputies set a trap with spike strips just inside the Jourdanton city limits that blew out all four tires. A running gun battle ensued with Lopez firing through his driver side window Lopez, maybe hit, lost control and struck two telephone poles. For whatever reason he stopped shooting and threw his rifle out opening the truck door at the same time He then stepped out and was properly ventilated several times by four deputies. Don't know how many times he was hit but he received a massive head wound to the right side of his head.

High fives all around to the Anascosa SO. Saved the State of Texas a lot of money.

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Suicide by cop. He knew if he hadn't shot first and just got out and gave up he'd probably just be arrested and have 5 more murders on his record. He probably had the thought of wanting to look badass and go down in a hail of gunfire. It didn't make him look like a badass but made him look like a puss. Granted as I said earlier in the thread he needed a firing squad, which he technically got, but it would've been better had they arrested him and walked him out to a field.

DannyDuberstein said:

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Maybe he was giving himself up, but I am glad that offer was not accepted.

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Correction to the above. He did not throw his rifle down. When he crashed he jumped out and was shot. LEO at the scene wasn't going to allow him to run into another house. Sorry for the confusion but I pieced this together from three different sources.

Good deal. But I wouldn't care if they cuffed him, put him in the backseat, and then blew his head off. That would be a good shoot in my book too. Although I'd preferred a gut shot and then letting him slowly die over about 12 hours

DannyDuberstein said:

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Maybe he was giving himself up, but I am glad that offer was not accepted.

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Most of these guys that are obviously guilty never make it out of Atascosa County. I like it that way,

They got him on camera getting gas in Marquez on the way out.

1991sir said:

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They got him on camera getting gas in Marquez on the way out.

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[url]

Gonzalo Lopez stopped to buy gas in town before he headed out on his trip.

He disguised himself with glasses and a hat. You can clearly tell that he has not been in public for awhile. #GonzaloLopez pic.twitter.com/AcoA9m7Mgc

— Rose (@901Lulu) June 4, 2022

[/url]

Is the photo out on the web anywhere?

Thank you for providing details on how this went down. Not enough vengeance in my book, but I'll have to rely on Deuteronomy 32:35 in the meantime - 'Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time;For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.'

Apparently my sister worked with the mother of the three brothers last year as a TA in one of her classrooms. That has to be pretty shocking.

Did they ever determine how he became armed?

I watched the press conference and someone asked that question. They wouldn't answer and said that's part of the ongoing TX Ranger's investigation.

Three Twenties and A Ten said:

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Is the photo out on the web anywhere?

Thank you for providing details on how this went down. Not enough vengeance in my book, but I'll have to rely on Deuteronomy 32:35 in the meantime - 'Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time;For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.'

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I don't know if it's out there but someone on this thread said he saw it. Don't know if it was the same photo. It's gruesome but fairly tame as far as other things on the web. I'm 70 this year and I've seen a lot of nasty stuff in my long life, military and as an LEO, but this one, for some reason has been on my mind and I can't shake it. It's 3AM and I'm halfway into a bottle of Makers Mark and still can't sleep.

Shoot me an email at tripleblack09shelbycobra@gmail.com if you are anyone else is interested in seeing the photo.

Re: the gas station video. That wallet & cash probably belonged to the Centerville victim. Sickening.

Yep Clothes and glasses too

So an escaped convict was able to survive either out in the woods or by hopping from home to home (breaking in) scrounging up food to survive for 3 weeks all within a 1 mile radius of where he escaped and LEO couldn't find him?

How the hell does that happen?

Rascal said:

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So an escaped convict was able to survive either out in the woods or by hopping from home to home (breaking in) scrounging up food to survive for 3 weeks all within a 1 mile radius of where he escaped and LEO couldn't find him?

How the hell does that happen?

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Incompetence by the TDCJ or inside job by one/some inside the TDCJ. I'm leaning towards incompetence.

For an inside job that would be a whole lot of people.

If he gets thru two cages in the transport bus…are they really cages? Seems like a setup where one would need bolt cutters to escape. A simple blade should not be able to cut thru cages. If he can crawl under cages…then that's total incompetence by the TDCJ. They need to re-evaluate the scope of a cage in their busses.

To not find him within a mile of the escape and stop using search dogs before they even started the search is total incompetence. So what if they get cross scented contamination. Let them cross the hell all over each other in a short radius 2 miles from the escape site. This was totally preventable.

I debated whether I should post this or not, but hopefully there will be something meaningful to some of you here. We have all seen and read about tragic events, and we question why. I did not know this family, but I wish that I had. All indications are that they are the kind of people you need to keep close to you. Even without knowing them, this entire situation has been exceptionally hard to shake. When something tragic happens that is beyond our understanding, or for me, when I have lost my way, I turn to "Footprints In The Sand". I am certain everyone has read it at some point, but I hopefully it is appropriate now.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."