Enrique Garcia, 59, worked as a security guard all his life, until he was shot and killed during a robbery attempt. That was in 2016.
Although the crime was caught on camera, nobody was apprehended or charged until early 2017.
Clint Walker, 24, faced a capital murder charge in Garcia’s killing, but still posted a $100,000 bond over the summer.
As part of the conditions of that bond, Walker was required to pay the GPS service provider for his ankle monitor, Guarding Public Safety, a monthly service fee.
However, Walker seems to have found a worrying way around the monitor by just not paying that monthly fee, KHOU reported.
In what Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg calls a “troubling loophole,” Guarding Public Safety removed Walker’s monitor over the missed payments.
“The vendor that was monitoring Mr. Walker was upset with him being $305 behind in his fees,” First Assistant District Attorney David Mitcham told KTRK .
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And they didn’t notify Ogg or her office about the removal. Ogg said that Walker roamed free and unmonitored for two weeks before police re-arrested him.
Garcia’s son, Hugo, was already angered about the $100,000 bond. With his father’s accused murderer on the loose for two weeks, he wants answers.
“Who is watching these people that have prior records and are allowed to roam the streets?” he asked.
Mitcham said that an investigation is under way.
“We have identified approximately 173 cases where individuals are out on bond for murder. And if they are required to wear a GPS device, we want that condition of bond maintained. And we have notified the proper authorities to look into this matter to make sure this is not a widespread problem.”
Walker is not believed to have committed any other crimes while he was unmonitored.
According to Teresa May, director of the Harris County Community Supervision & Corrections Department, nothing like this has happened in the past 20 years.
She says she does not believe a loophole exists, and added that Guarding Public Safety’s contract had been terminated, citing “serious violations of the memorandum of understanding,” specifically failing to contact HCCSCD for permission before removing Walker’s monitor.
In a statement, Guarding Public Safety cited “several violations” by Walker while he was monitored.
“My company sent several violations on Clint Walker to the Harris County Pretrial Supervison Dept. including his failure to charge his device as instructed resulting in no location and no communication,” a Guarding Public Safety rep told KTRK. “His device went dead several times and we had no location and no communication with this defendant. Immediate notification was sent upon removal of his device.”
Any other accused individuals monitored by Guarding Public Safety have been transferred to other companies.
Walker’s bond has also been revoked.
