Liberty Co. inmate who escaped custody last month apprehended in Seattle, Washington, deputies say

Updated 2 hours ago
SEATTLE, Washington (KTRK) -- A Liberty County inmate who escaped custody in Kingwood last month was apprehended in Seattle, Washington, according to the Liberty County Sheriff's Office.

The escaped inmate, Yorlan Rafael Reyes, was taken into custody at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the sheriff's office.

Reyes escaped from the Liberty County Sheriff's Office custody during the early morning hours on July 18 while he was receiving medical treatment at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood.

According to investigators, they got information indicating that Reyes was later in Cleveland, Texas, where he allegedly entered a residence and obtained clothing. Investigators also learned that he stayed at a nearby residence with individuals known to him until July 21.

Investigators later said that Reyes received assistance traveling to Seattle. Liberty County investigators said they continued following leads, including dead ends, inaccurate information, and false reports, and eventually identified a cell phone number believed to be in Reyes' possession.



Investigators also say they learned that Reyes was doing construction-related work while in the Seattle area.

In Washington, Reyes continued sending threatening messages to women in Texas, including messages involving their juvenile daughters, according to officials.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office shared the following statement that read in part:

"I am extremely proud of our investigators. They worked through false reports, dead ends, and constantly changing information until they developed the lead that helped the U.S. Marshals Service locate and apprehend Reyes. This arrest reflects their determination and the strength of our law enforcement partnerships."


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