The Tragic Murder of Officer Aubrey Hawkins by the Escaped Texas 7

When seven inmates escaped from the maximum-security Connally Unit in Kenedy, Texas, on December 13, 2000, they initiated the largest prison break in the state’s history and set off a crime spree that ended in the murder of Irving Police Officer Aubrey Hawkins on Christmas Eve. The case, which spans the daring prison break, the arming of the fugitives, and a manhunt, is featured on the season three premiere of Oxygen’s Prosecuting Evil with Kelly Siegler, oxygen.com reported.

The group carried out the escape during a work assignment in the prison’s maintenance department. Six of the seven inmates worked there under civilian Texas Department of Criminal Justice supervisors, using scrap iron to craft shivs before overpowering the employees during lunch, tying them up, and placing them in a closet. At least a dozen hostages were taken during the operation.

The Connally Unit Armory Heist and the Formation of the Texas 7

After subduing the civilian staff, the inmates donned employee clothing and made their way to the prison tower, which doubled as the facility’s armory. They overpowered the guard inside, tied him up, and placed him in the bathroom before stealing a shotgun, an AR-15, and approximately a dozen pistols. They then loaded a prison truck with the stolen weapons and drove out of the facility, executing what John Moriarty, chief of special operations for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, called a massive, massive security failure.

While searching the prison, investigator searches uncovered a note left behind by inmate Patrick Murphy. The text described the prison system as unjust, reading: Today I fired the first shot in the new revolution. You haven’t heard the last of us yet.

Media outlets dubbed the group the Texas 7, pointing to their diverse and violent criminal backgrounds:

• George Rivas: The ringleader, serving 17 life sentences for four aggravated robberies and 13 aggravated kidnappings.
• Larry Harper: Described as a violent serial rapist serving a 50-year sentence.
• Michael Rodriguez: Serving a life sentence for the capital murder of his wife.
• Joseph Garcia: Serving 50 years for murder after fatally stabbing a man during an argument.
• Patrick Murphy: Described by Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Toby Shook as a very sadistic human being, serving 50 years for aggravated sexual assault and rape at knifepoint.
• Donald Newbury: Serving a 99-year sentence for three aggravated robbery convictions, characterized by Shook as a hijacker who liked guns.
• Randy Halprin: Serving a 30-year sentence for injury to a child following the brutal beating of an infant.

They were acting as a very close team of criminals, which you don’t find often, Toby Shook remarked. That made them even more dangerous.

The Christmas Eve Robbery and the Murder of Officer Aubrey Hawkins

Weeks after the escape, the fugitives traveled roughly 300 miles to Irving, Texas. On Christmas Eve, nine-months pregnant Misty Simpson waited in the parking lot of an Oshman’s sporting goods store while her fiancé, Michael, worked inside as a department manager closing the retail location.

Noticing a strange man inside the closed store and seeing employees marching in a single-file line with their hands on each other’s shoulders, Simpson walked to a pay phone to call 911. She explained that she just knew that this was off.

Irving Police Officer Aubrey Hawkins was the first unit to arrive at the scene, driving his patrol vehicle to the back of the building with his emergency lights flashing. At 6:30 p.m., Hawkins made his final radio call confirming his arrival at the loading dock. Moments later, he was ambushed and killed in a hail of gunfire as the Texas 7 fled the store with 44 stolen firearms, more than $70,000 in cash, camping equipment, and winter clothes.

When backup officers arrived minutes later, they found Hawkins dead on the ground outside his vehicle. The stolen items were intended to aid the inmates in surviving during their ongoing time on the run.

Law Enforcement Captures Texas 7 Fugitives in Colorado

The murder prompted a massive law enforcement manhunt that lasted for weeks. Authorities ultimately tracked the remaining members of the Texas 7 to an RV park in Colorado.

Law enforcement surrounded the location, leading to the apprehension of the surviving fugitives after one member of the group died by suicide. While taking the suspects into custody marked a critical turning point, the judicial process remained. Catching them was only half the battle, Kelly Siegler remarked. The State still had to hold all of these defendants accountable for capital murder.

Season three of Prosecuting Evil with Kelly Siegler premieres Saturday, Oct. 3, at 9 p.m. on Oxygen, with episodes available to stream on Fandango.