Shock breached the usually calm mid-cities area, when a felon escaped from a police transport carrying this felon from Miami to Nevada, in Grapevine, Texas the evening of February 11th. Phones ringing at homes of local residents of communities in the Grapevine area the next day were advising that an escaped felon who was armed, dangerous and desperate was in the area. Schools went on lock down that day.
Alberto Morales is also a schizophrenic who is not on medication. Thus his behavior will not only be erratic; yet make him an even greater predator in the Grapevine, Southlake and Trophy Club areas of the mid-cities as his desperation increases. Police believe that he is still at large in Grapevine, as police dogs identify scents, taking the Grapevine Police Department on a wild ride searching homes, barns, businesses and more. Morales is seeking shelter somewhere or has most likely already found shelter; which is the premise the joint police departments are aware of.
This felon was being transported by 2 Miami officers who were escorting him to Nevada where he is to serve out the remainder of a life sentence. As one officer sat in the car with Morales, while his partner took a restroom break; Morales broke the arm off of his glasses that he used as a weapon stabbing the officer in the neck, chest and back. Supposedly hand-cuffed and shackled he managed to assault the police officer and run for his life. He escaped, running through the parking lot of Grapevine’s Wal*Mart, with the officer’s gun. Footage of his escape, found on Wal*Mart security cameras, while difficult to see clearly show that he was not wearing restraints as he escaped although there have been reports to the contrary.
Police dogs are being heavily used in this search for Morales. Scents were initially picked up near Grapevine High School’s Mustang Stadium on Tuesday, February 12, leading police to search the area around Grapevine High School. Parents are picking up their children who would ordinarily walk home from school on any other day. Now, the scent of this man, wearing only a pair of shorts, T-shirt and socks, have been picked up in a neighborhood about ½ mile from the Grapevine Wal*Mart, prompting police to begin the door to door searches Valentine’s Day.
Initially he was believed to have been helped by someone on the outside; however there have been no indications of his having any type of help at this juncture. The Miami and Grapevine Police continue to concentrate their search in Grapevine. The latest report indicates his scent was picked up at a department store parking lot; which is located in Southlake, Texas and solidifies the belief that Morales is indeed still in this area.
He is 5’ 7” in height, around 175 pounds, with brown hair and eyes with scars on his left hand, arm and face. He has a prominent tattoo on his left arm of an Indian riding a horse. Law enforcement officials know that Alberto Morales had no intention of going back to prison before leaving Miami.
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