The saga of escaped inmate Scott Evan Shepple, wanted on multiple charges including sexual assault, came to a close early this morning when authorities located him at a motel room in north Harris County. Officials from the Grimes County Sheriff's Office and supporting law enforcement teams, including the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force, apprehended Shepple at the Greenchase Inn, situated near the intersection of 249 and North Freeway, according to KPRC 2.
In the course of the arrest which took place a little after 5:30 a.m., two men identified as Michael Garrett and Carl Banks were also arrested, facing charges of Hindering Apprehension, and in Banks's case, an additional charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez also thanked the varied law enforcement officials who had contributed to the intensive manhunt which spanned several agencies.
Shepple's escape prompted an urgent manhunt after he vanished from the Cypress Creek Behavioral Hospital early yesterday, his last sighting reported at 8:45 a.m., and had authorities issuing warnings, noting his violent history and previous comments around "suicide by cop," FOX 7 Austin provided details of the search initiative.
Before the escape, Shepple was attempting to recover from an attempted suicide by hanging which occurred early Sunday morning, now information on the details of his capture remain limited, although Sheriff Gonzalez has extended gratitude to the deputies from Grimes County and the assisting officials from Texas DPS and the U.S. Marshals, KPRC 2 and other local news outlets continue to follow the story, assuring updates will be provided as they emerge.
Throughout the ordeal, officials from the Grimes County Sheriff's Office emphasized the value of community engagement urging anyone with information to come forth, ensuring channels were open for the public to aid in Shepple's recapture, KHOU reports reflected the Sheriff's Office's call for assistance and vigilance from the locals during the manhunt phase. Though two women were also in the motel room during the recapture operation, they were questioned and subsequently released by police, who also located firearms in the room.
